The Hybrid Generations
by LdOFDestruction
Summary: Kitsune Lee is a normal teen...except for his yellow fur, tail, and fox ears. With close friends Keishinko and Atsuiko, two hybrids he has known since childhood, they live life the only way they can: as a secret. (RenaLee and others)
1. Chapter 1: Origins Part I

A/N: Well, here it is, enjoy it. I worked hard . To those new to the series, this follows my "RenaLee" series, which in continuity is: A Romance Two Worlds Apart  Secret Invitation  Futile Tears of Hate  Mating Season  The Hybrid Generations. In addition to those, there are a few side stories that I was considering, but that's for another time. Enjoy .

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. Digimon and its characters is owned by Toei and the other respective companies. I do own the original characters though.

Chapter 1: Origins (Part I)

To be a kid, those were the days. But to be a kid with fox ears popping out of my blue hair and a furry tail coming out of my backside made my life more complicated than other kids' lives. My yellow fur made everything even worse. It took all my will power as a little scrawny kid to keep my yellow fur from showing and to keep my ears and tail hidden away from the rest of the world. Its not like I wanted to keep my extra body parts hidden, but dad always told me I had to and it was more of a pain than anything else. It was okay to have my tail out while I was at home or at Keishinko's house or Atsuiko's house, but never in public. And I hated it so much.

Sometimes I utterly despised my childhood years. To watch everyone play carefree and prone to injury all the time was painful enough to me. I could get hurt. I could probably take twice the scratches and scrapes my classmates could without crying, but my dad, being as protective as he is, signed some kind of contract that kept me from doing all those fun things. I remember I asked him about it, and he told me he did it to keep me away from fights that other kids would try to start with me.

"When the other kids ask you to play anything that involves physical contact," I remember him saying to me, "don't and sit out until they play something safer." I stared up at him with confusion, "but dad, I don't get hurt easily. Why can't I play all the other games they play?"

Dad pushed his glasses higher on the bridge of the nose and moved his long hair to the side of his ear, "because," he looked straight for a moment at mom standing behind me, "because," he paused again. At that point, I was kind of getting a bit angry with my dad, "you'll understand when you get older Kitsune. But understand that your mother and I made this decision to protect you."

I was about to blow my top right then and there. Not old enough? What was he thinking! "But dad," I groaned, "I'm nine years old now. I'm almost 10 years old. I think I'm old enough to know why." He just looked at me again and smiled as if it was a joke.

"Sure." He laughed in a paternal kind of way, "You may think you're old enough to know, but I'll tell you when I know you're old enough to know." His words confused me so much, but he just ruffled my hair up and took me out for ice cream that day. I didn't get the truth that day, but ice cream was a great consolation prize.

So my whole childhood experience was wasted watching my classmates while I sat out of all the fun, with the rest of the non-athletic kids. Actually, even the non-athletic kids were playing! Mock war, tackle tag, even dodge ball I couldn't play! And all that I missed just because my dad signed some kind of contract that kept me off the action taking place on the field and asphalt and kept me on the world of anti-friendship on the sidelines and bench. Every day was the same thing: class, sit out during recess, then class again, and then straight home. Every day I would ask my dad why. Why can't I play with my classmates? Why can't I have any fun? Why? There wasn't any difference when I asked mom. She would just look at me and say "You'll understand later" and then either walk away or change the subject. I felt like later would never come and I would never, ever find out what I was supposed to "understand." I wanted to understand so badly! Finally one day I did understand, and after that day, I wish I never wanted to understand "it."

It was a hot, sunny Friday afternoon when my life changed forever. Noontime recess just started and as usual I sat on the bench located on the sidelines. I sighed in disappointment as I watched the others play. One of my classmates saw me sitting out on my lonesome self wallowing in my own loner pity and offered me to play. He walked up to me and smirked, "Hey Kitsu," he had the American football in his hands, "you don't want to play?" I looked up at him and shook my head. He went on to ask me why and I went on to answer, "Because my dad won't let me play anything that might cause any harm to me. He even has a contract with the school." I grumbled, "I wish I could play…" He grabbed my arm, "Come on. We're short one player and what your dad doesn't know won't hurt him."

At first I was kind of reluctant to play. My dad signed that thing that kept me from having fun for a reason, but then again, I was a nine year-old kid trying to find friends. Like I said before, I could take probably two times more hits and gashes the others could take, so he was right. What dad didn't know won't hurt him, right? Anyhow, I ran out with my classmate to the field. The other guys made me a receiver to catch the ball since I "looked fast." 'I AM fast.' I thought to myself and smirked. But, I underestimated my powers greatly. Once the ball was snapped, I quickly ran past the defender and found myself at the end of the grass field. That would be great and all, but considering that the end of the grass was more than 75 yards away, and I ran it in less than two seconds, it made me a bit surprised.

There I stood, about 75 yards away from my own peers, as in awe as the rest of my classmates. I had a sick feeling in my stomach, one that you would never want. I looked down at my feet to see that, yes, they were human feet. And then I checked for the one thing my dad first told me never; ever to do in public, show my ears and tail. I slowly reached for my head to check if my furry ears suddenly showed. No, they stayed hidden. That's one sign of relief. I reached behind me, slowly, hoping it just didn't stick out, and…no, it wasn't there. A second sigh of relief. I breathed easier, but then as I turned around to see if my classmates were still there or if they ran off in fear. I saw the worst thing I would ever see in my life.

They were standing there, staring in awe.

Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad, but at the time; I really didn't know what to do, so I started to walk back slowly. Slowly, one step at a time I returned back to reality and to my classmates. And when I finally got there, I was greeted with something very unexpected. Cheers and praises met my human ears, and I couldn't help but smile. Why would my dad want to keep me away from this? Having friends and using my powers to have fun? At the time I didn't understand, and at that moment, I really didn't care about my dad's decision. I wasn't hurt, so technically I didn't break that contract. I was finally getting attention, I was finally off the sidelines, I was finally accepted and part of the others. I was finally happy.

Or was I?

I went on for weeks without telling my dad about that incident. The day, in which I found out why I couldn't play with the others, was kept a secret to the rest of the world. What happened that day would stay on that field, never to be spoken to a teacher, other students, or even their own parents or friends. I even made everyone on that field promise that they would never say anything, no matter what. In return, I could play with them as much as they wanted. No one knew about those powers except for those 10 or so guys. Not even my own father knew that I used them that day. I didn't want anyone else to make me feel different. Ten kids out of a world of billions of people were the only ones who treated me differently, "special" as many would say. And I wanted to keep it that way. But THAT incident happened, THAT incident that revealed my powers to the rest of the school and even to the teachers.

It was another day on the school playground. Of course, the ten or so of us were on the field ready to draft and play more football. But there was a new person in the drafting circle. I leaned over to my classmate, "what is Koi doing here? He hates playing sports, and I don't think he likes me either." I whispered. "Relax, Kitsu," He assured me, "just show him that you shouldn't be messed with. You got that speed of yours…" That feeling in my stomach I first felt when I used my powers returned, the one that I never wanted to feel again. I stood straight up and looked over to the new guy. He looked back at me and gave me a glance that could only mean one thing: he wanted to get me. He wanted to throw me down and then laugh at me. He hated me for whatever reason. Maybe because I was more popular than him now, I really didn't know. So everyone was drafted and the game began.

I was in my sprinting position ready for that snap. Koi ran in front of me and whispered to me as we were head to head, "Kitsune Lee, you're going down." He growled at me. All I could do is smirk at his empty threat. 'I could burn this guy easily,' I smirked, 'who does he think he's talking to.' Then, the ball was snapped. Just before I was about to leave him in my dust, he ran up to me and gave me a clothesline. Although I could have dodged it easily, I took the hit and crashed against the ground. I got up quickly and he stood there laughing. So I did what any ten-year-old-kid-who-was-just-knocked-down-by-a-classmate-who-hates-you would do, I punched him. It was a punch that sent him reeling back, and now the fight was under way. Kids circled around us and started to chant, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" Koi got looked at me and growled again. He ran up to me and punched me so hard I went to the ground again. My eye was hurting and by now I was on the ground groaning to stop. I kept my eyes shut because of the pain. Koi tried to pull me up to beat me more and I tried to stop it by thrusting my palm up, begging for mercy (I hate to admit).

And then it happened, the thing that set me apart from the rest of the world. It all happened so fast. "Stop!" I yelled after I threw my palm up. By this time everyone was dead silent, and I thought its because I gave up, but I opened my eyes slightly and saw one of the most horrific things I would ever see as a kid. There stood big Koi, with bright shards of ice sticking into his arms, body, and even one or two on his face. He reeled back slowly the same time I began to stand up. I looked at him with fear in my eyes, fear of myself. "I…" I stuttered. What was I supposed to do? All the kids on the playground saw it happen. There he stood, with ice stabbing into his body, and all the kids saw it. "I…" I said again.

"Kitsune!" Mr. Sato yelled as he ran towards the circle of children, "Koi…!"

But it was too late; I was long gone, running as far away from the school as I could in fear. I'm not sure if it was the fear of being in trouble, or if it was because of what I just did. Maybe it was a bit of both. But I just kept running, at regular speed at this point, and suddenly I ran into something. Tears were streaming down my face and I sniffled, as I stood there stopped dead in my tracks, "Sorry," I muttered as my glance slowly crawled up from the floor. It was my mom. "Mom?" I stuttered again, "what are you doing out here?"

"I saw what happened," she said. And we stood there quiet again. Mom was never one to talk much. She was really straight to the point without changing the subject, sometimes even hurting other people's feelings.

"Sorry," I said again as I wiped my nose with my arm. "It…just happened." I sniffed hard, "I couldn't control it." Mom slowly closed her narrow eyes. I couldn't tell what she was going to do next. We stood there for another minute or two in silence until Mom opened her eyes again.

"We need to get your father," she said plainly. "Come on." She grabbed my arm and jumped into the nearest tree. I felt like I was just being dragged around like someone's baggage, but going as fast as Mom did made me feel different, like I was the real me, but not really. It's really hard to explain.

So we kept our high speed up until we got home, where Dad was doing some work. We stopped in front of the door into the apartment. "Go." Mom said, "talk to your father. I'll be there in a minute." I nodded as I wiped the tears away and walked into the apartment building and to the third floor, where we lived. I knocked on our door and waited for Dad to answer.

Dad finally answered the door. He moved his long hair out of his face and pushed up his glasses, "Can I…" He looked down at me, "Kitsune? What are you doing home? You should be at school." I stood there sniffling staring at him. Mom appeared right behind me. Dad looked at Mom, and Mom just looked back, "Ohh," Dad finally realized what happened that day. "It's alright," he comforted me as I collapsed into his arms and started to cry again, "it's okay." All three of us went inside our apartment, and the rest I really couldn't remember.

I do remember waking up in my room about two hours after I got home. My ears and tail were now showing completely, but it really didn't matter since I was at home. I walked out to the hall and to the living room, where Mom and Dad were waiting for me. "Kitsune," my dad stood up, "your mother and I think its time we have a talk." I nodded and sat down across from both of them.

"Kitsune," Mom said, "you already know you're not any other normal boy. You're a Digimon hybrid. You have your father's blue hair, my eyes, ears, tail…" she smirked, "and fighting ability." I sat there completely confused by what she just said. Fighting ability? The ability to shoot razor sharp shards of ice from my palm? That's not a fighting ability, I thought, that's a curse! "Look," Dad stepped in, "we understand this may be kind of overwhelming, but it's better to find out now." Mom nodded.

"So," I said quietly, "the ears, tail, speed, ice…" I looked at both of them with my blue eyes, "all because I'm half-Digimon?" Dad nodded, but Mom just stood there silently. The tension in that room was extremely taut, and I was afraid the slightest movement would break it, so all of us sat there quietly. Sitting quietly (except for mom), waiting, and nothing from either of us. Finally, the phone rang, and broke the tension. "Hello?" Dad answered the phone, "yes, I understand. He's right here, but he does not feel well….Yes…okay…I'm sorry for everything. Yes, it will be taken care of. Goodbye." He hung up the phone. "Well," he sighed, "that was the school. Kitsune, why did you get into a fight?" I went through the whole story about Koi and the threats and all of that. He looked at me, and then Mom, "Kitsune, its time you start learning to control your powers. I know what just happened was a mistake, so I won't punish you, but don't do it again, understand?" I nodded. Dad smiled, "good."

And from that point on, I knew I was different, a hybrid. I wasn't like normal kids, nor will I ever be, so I lived like this: completely different from everyone else, well except for Keishinko and Atsuiko.

A/N: Please R&R . I'll be doing my rants on my website, not in the stories anymore unless it needs to. Thanks.

Dexstrosity the LdOFDestruction


	2. Chapter 2: Origins Part II

Chapter 2: Origins (Part II)

Keishinko Katou Akiyama and Atsuiko McCoy are two long time friends of mine. Actually, our friendship goes all the way back to our parents. From what I heard, Keishinko's parents and Atsuiko's mom were three really good friends of Dad, Mom, Uncle Takato and Guilmon, and Auntie Ruki. Dad told me stories about when he and the rest of them fought as Digimon Tamers and actually saved the world twice, once from an evil corporation and another time from a giant erasing program in the Digital World and the Real World. I always found the story as unbelievable, but of course, I have ears and a tail and yellow fur, so I guess it isn't too farfetched.

Both Keishinko, otherwise known to me and Atsuiko as "Keishin-chan" although she hates when either of us call her that, and Atsuiko have similar stories about how they found out they were hybrids, but I especially like Keishinko's story. It's hilarious.

It's no secret to anyone who knows her that Keishinko is a huge tomboy. When she was little, she was considered to me and everyone else as a huge tomboy, and even now she's considered an even bigger tomboy. Naturally, as tomboys often do, she hates acting like a girl, and when she found out that Koi, the same guy who I shot ice into, had a crush on her, she was mad. No, that's an understatement. She was furious. And thus, this is where her story begins.

About a month and a half after "the incident," I finally decided to tell Keishinko and Atsuiko about me being a hybrid. I even told them that I thought they were hybrids too, "Seriously," I said to both of them, "I think we're all hybrids. I mean, you have that tail and your ears always out," I pointed to Keishinko, "and Atsuiko has those ears too." Atsuiko blushed as she touched her ears lightly. "I…I think I am." Atsuiko said, in her quiet shy kind of way.

"I guess you're right," Keishinko said, in her tomboyish confident kind of way, "so if I'm half-Digimon like you, then I should have powers too right?" I shrugged but agreed with her. One of the girls in our class came up to all three of us, "Hey Keishinko, I think Koi-kun has a crush on you." The girl who told Keishinko the news giggled and ran off. And at this point, Keishinko was red. She was completely red, not from being embarrassed by a silly little crush, but from sheer anger and rage. "So, if I am a hybrid," Keishinko gritted her teeth in anger, "then I should have powers. I think its time for a test." She smirked as she walked towards Koi and away from me and Atsuiko.

She batted her eyelashes as she walked up to Koi, who had noticed that she was walking up to him. He had a stupid-looking goofy smile on his face, thinking Keishinko was actually going to talk to him, and to our surprise, she did. "Koi-kun," she asked sweetly, "can you do me a favor?" He nodded dumbly, "show me your arm." He immediately rolled up his sleeve, thinking she was asking to see his muscles, and showed it to her. She winded up and punched the poor guy so hard that he went spinning and collapsed to the ground after a few revolutions, not knowing what hit him! Keishinko laughed so hard at her act that she fell down and rolled around. Atsuiko giggled softly and I just shook my head. Poor Koi, he probably had a dead arm for the rest of the day, at least. But of course, he was the guy who started a fight with me, so why should I show sympathy? Jerk.

There was always one thing that made Keishinko different from me; she always had her tail and ears exposed. I still have no clue why she would have it exposed like that, but no one questions her, ever. It kind of makes me mad sometimes that I have to use all the strength in my body to keep my ears and tail out of sight and my fur hidden and she can walk around with her ears and tail exposed all the time. I never really dared to ask her; because I did once, and she punched me so hard I had a dead arm for about half an hour. Maybe that's why no one really asks her that question. Either everyone's afraid, or they all think Keishinko just likes to cosplay everyday. Besides, every guy I talk to now thinks that Keishinko looks "kawaii" with her "little ears and tail." That's all good material I use to tease her.

Atsuiko is an interesting girl. She's really quiet and shy, and doesn't really like to talk all that much or use her powers like Keishinko and I do. Every time all three of us talk about being hybrids and all the powers we have, she's quiet and doesn't say much at all. Also, she seems depressed every time we see her. I always wondered why…She always has friends around her, usually us, and even all of our parents are usually around her, well, except for her dad, who we never seen before. She never really mentioned her dad before and the subject never really was brought up, so maybe I should just leave it at that. Looking back though, I should ask her about her dad sometime, but sometimes I don't think it's a great idea. She looks depressed all the time, and I think mentioning her dad would make everything even worse. Seeing how I view Atsuiko as a little sister, it would make me feel even worse seeing her like that.

And then there are my parents: Jenrya Lee and Renamon. Strange, come to think of it I never really called Mom by her species…err name. I don't even know if Mom ever had a second name. Anyway, Dad works in a huge building with an intricate computer network with hundreds of computer programs, but sometimes Dad works at home. Dad doesn't talk about his work much, I remember a few times it was brought up, but the subject was changed pretty quickly. From what Dad tells me, he's doing what Granddad used to do when he was still working, but that's all I know. And about Mom, I have no idea what she does or what she did when I was little. When I was small, I always thought she was in costume all the time, but I always carried the feeling and instinct that she was my mom. This was way before I knew what a digimon was, so I really didn't know! Now, I think she just cruises around the city through trees and such and keeps an eye on me to make sure I don't do anything crazy or stupid. Oh! I almost forgot about one part of the family, Uncle Terriermon. Uncle Terriermon is this little dog Digimon who is also my Dad's Digimon partner. He doesn't do much now, but when I was small; he was my babysitter along with Renamon. Surprisingly, he knew how to change my diapers pretty well from all the stories I heard, which I find really strange when I look back on it.

Like I mentioned before, my parent's falling in love in the first place doomed me to be different from when I was born (which is, in my opinion, one of the most strangest and unbelievable stories ever told) until I die. I have to admit that the love story of my parents sounds sweet and it would make one hell of a novel someday.

Another thing that set me different from everyone else, other than the fact that I'm a hybrid, was that my parents never got married. Even now, when my classmates talk about when and where my parents got married and how they met, I make up a story. The story was this: my parents met in Japan, but my mom had to go to America for a "permanent business trip" after she gave birth to me and I never really saw her again. It made me sound naïve, and people often thought my mom was dead, but it got the job done. Honestly, I wouldn't believe my own story if I heard it myself.

Keishinko's parents recently got married. Me, Dad and Mom, Granddad and Grandma, and Auntie Suichon were all invited to the celebration. Auntie Jaarin and Uncle Rinchei couldn't make it because of their businesses in America, Auntie Jaarin in the American music business as a manager and Uncle Rinchei as a developer for some US-based game company. Besides those two, everyone was there, including Uncle Takato and Auntie Ruki, Guilmon, and Terriermon. Anyway, the wedding was beautiful. Keishinko's parents both looked great, her Dad in a tux with his Monodramon (Uncle Ryo's Digimon partner) not far behind, and her mom in an incredible white wedding dress. Also, it was one of the only times I would ever get to see Keishin-chan in a dress, and I thought the wedding was worth just that. I dare never mention it to her, or she would rip my head off. Once I did mention it, and I was bruised for weeks.

After all these years from that incident, I still cannot believe who or what I am. Even to this day, I hide my ears, tail, and yellow fur when I'm out in public and it still kind of bothers me. I know I'm not alone as a hybrid, I have Keishinko and Atsuiko, but I can't help but feel there is more…yes, more. Oh well, I guess that's the way it will always be. There will always be more that I cannot find out. That's how it is living in this Hybrid Generation, always finding out more.

* * *

Kitsune put his yellow, dulled out pencil down on his desk and breathed a sigh of relief. He shook out his writer's cramp and adjusted his glasses and hand gloves. 'Wonder if that's good enough for fiction.' Kitsune smiled at the irony, "Hope I get a good grade on this." He smirked as he picked up the loose notebook paper and read it through one more time to catch his mistakes. 

"Kitsune!" a voice hollered from the kitchen, "its time to eat!" Kitsune's long fox-like ears twitched at the sound of dinner.

"Alright dad!" Kitsune yelled back. He got up from his seat, turned the light off, and then disappeared in a flash with his incredible, inherited speed.

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A/N: Please R&R . Really, it's appreciated. 

Dexstrosity the LdOFDestruction


	3. Chapter 3: School Blues

A/N: Whew, the prologue is finally over . Now the story can take place :P. Enjoy.

Chapter 3: School Blues

The alarm clock propped up on the drawer buzzed loudly. Two long, furry yellow ears popped out of the top of the bed sheets and twitched uncontrollably. The head in which the ears belong to followed. The blue hair that shown over the sheets was a complete mess, and the face that followed was no improvement. "Kitsune," a male voice could be heard faintly over the buzzer, "wake up!" Kitsune groaned at the fact that he had to wake up so early for school. His clawed hand reached from under the covers to try and stop that infernal siren taking him away seconds of his precious sleep. After numerous failed attempts of killing off the cacophony, he was successful. His somnambulate state once again became serene slumber.

With a deft movement, the door to his room swung wide open, almost hitting the opposite wall if it were not for the doorstop. A tall, blue-haired man stood in the doorway, "Kitsune!" he said loudly, "get up. You're going to miss your bus again." The half-asleep teenager groaned, "Dad," his voice was muffled by a pillow, "I can run and make it to school in a couple of seconds…" Before he could finish his sentence, his father walked up to his bed and pulled off his covers. Kitsune shivered by the sudden lack of warmth.

"Remember," his father, Jenrya Lee, stood over his son, "you can't use your powers in broad daylight when everyone can see. Now get up." Kitsune did not get up. The father sighed, "You made me do this." He grabbed his son's yellow, furry tail and gave it a light yank, "now get up."

The sudden yank forced Kitsune to stand straight up. He looked down at his Dad and scowled. Jenrya smiled, and then walked out of the room. The fox boy grumbled over the choice of wake up calls his father usually uses. He stumbled off his bed and over to his dresser where he picked up his glasses and put them on. "At least it isn't as bad as when Mom has to wake me up." He grumbled as he walked over to the bathroom and got ready for school. He met his father in the kitchen cooking, with his mother waiting with him leaning against the kitchen wall right beside him.

"Kitsune, grab your breakfast and get going," Jenrya told his son, "you have to start walking. Your bus just left." Kitsune mumbled something incoherent as he grabbed a piece of toast with his gloved hand and headed out the door. Jenrya glanced over his shoulder at the door, and then looked down at what he was cooking again, "Renamon, watch over him." Renamon nodded and disappeared with her sheer speed.

Kitsune stood right outside the apartment building. He took a bite out of his toast and looked around. "If no one's around," he smirked to himself, "then no one would know." He was about ready to run off, "Dad won't know." But before he could run off, someone tugged on his blue uniform top.

"But I will." Kitsune turned around slowly and saw that his mother was right behind him, holding on to his shirt. He smiled stupidly. "Sorry mom," he laughed and scratched his head, "I'll walk."

Renamon nodded, "I'll be watching you." Kitsune nodded, still smiling and turned around again. He started walking to school, and half an hour later, he finally arrived at school, late. He looked up to the trees by the gates of the school and waved, knowing his mom was watching him from afar.

He walked into his class to be confronted by his teacher. "Kitsune Lee," the teacher folded his arms, "you're late." A bead of sweat rolled down Kitsune's forehead. He awkwardly scratched his head trying to think of something to say, "Ah, sorry," Kitsune apologized, "I had a misunderstanding with my parents…" The teacher continued to stare a hole right through the disguised fox boy, not buying his story. "And well," Kitsune continued his impromptu excuse, "I had to walk to school." The teacher immediately pointed at the door. Kitsune sighed as he turned and walked towards the door to serve his punishment. Before he left the classroom, he could see out of the corner of his eye a girl with cat ears wearing a lavender shirt and khaki Capri pants, laughing silently at him, 'Damn Keishinko,' he thought, 'I'll get her for that later…' "Lee," the teacher called his name before he was out of the door, "we'll talk after class." The fox boy nodded his head in a respectful, yet slightly despiteful way and stood outside the classroom to serve his punishment.

Later that day, the class was finally dismissed. Keishinko met up with Kitsune outside the classroom, "Late again?" the half-Leomon girl teased, "What happened? Your mom caught you running to school again?" Keishinko began to laugh because of Kitusne's excessive tardiness. Kitsune tried to ignore her as much as possible. "You could say that," the fox boy sighed, "look, I'll talk to you and Atsuiko later. Aruka-sensei wants to talk to me again." He walked into the classroom where his teacher was waiting for his arrival. "Kitsune Lee," the teacher said loudly, "take a seat." From that point, Kitsune received another tirade about the importance of school and how his "excessive tardiness is taking away from the full experience school has to offer."

The young Lee was finally released from the grasp of the tirade. He walked out to the hall where Keishinko and Atsuiko waited for him. "Another lecture, Kitsu-kun?" Atsuiko asked softly. Kitsune nodded, "Yeah, about being late and the importance of school." He sighed, "blah, blah, blah. It's always the same thing."

"Shouldn't have been late then," Keishinko said almost harshly. She jumped in front of her two friends and began to back-pedal, keeping the pace up "what's up with you fox boy? You're late all the time."

"Whatever," Kitsune had his carried his school bag behind his head, "me and my Mom have been sparring a lot lately, and I'm always really tired now. And I have to sleep you know…" Keishinko stopped backtracking. Her eyes slightly narrowed and she smirked. Her mouth barely opened, "Wimp." All three of them stood there in silence. A glare came off Kitsune's glasses and his eyebrows took the familiar reverse triangle shape. Atsuiko started walking forward again, already knowing what was going to happen. Keishinko turned around and dashed down the hall, laughing hard. Kitsune was not far behind.

"You try sparring against my mom!" Kitsune yelled, as he ran after Keishinko, "come here, I owe you for laughing at me this morning!" The three hybrids exited the school, Kitsune chasing after a laughing Keishinko and Atsuiko following those two calmly, although smiling at her friends' actions.

* * *

Keishinko walked into her large, estate-like home. "I'm home!" she yelled. The first person to greet her was her father, "Hey Keish," her father greeted her. Keishinko's father, Ryo Akiyama, was now different than how he was when he fell in love with Juri, Keishinko's mother. He still had his spiked, short brown hair, but now had a mustache right under his nose. He worked as a computer researcher along with Jenrya, but only at home. His goal was to rid of his "mortal enemy" for good, but Keishinko never really knew whom that "mortal enemy" was, and she did not plan to ask about it. "Your mother is out with Grandma right now, and Granddad is still at the bar." He said as he went to work on his computer once again.

After Keishinko was born, Ryo's parents went back to the Northern Province where they originally lived. Keishinko rarely saw them, but she would often talk to them through telephone. The last time they came down was the wedding, which was just a few months ago, and the last picture they had was Keishinko in a dress. She really resented wearing a dress, but since it was her parent's wedding, she was obligated to, and didn't refuse.

"Still working on the computer Dad?" Keishinko asked as she walked around the house stretching her joints after running from Kitsune. "Yep," Ryo answered, "same thing everyday." Keishinko hovered around her father, "Where's Mono?" the Leomon hybrid asked. Ryo told her he was with Takato and Ruki, "Okay. Is it alright if I go over there?"

"You have any homework?" Ryo turned and asked his daughter. She shook her head, "well, it's okay then. Just be back before dinner." She thanked her father and ran off to the Matsuda Bakery, where Takato worked now. Or to be more specific, owned.

"Welcome to the Matsuda Bakery!" a brown-haired man in an apron and hairnet greeted as the doorbell went off. He looked up and saw Keishinko walk through the door. "Keishinko, it's nice to see you!" He smiled warmly, "how's your parents doing?"

"Dad's doing work at home, again," Keishinko said as she picked up a bread roll and took a bite out of it, "and mom's shopping with my Grandma. How's business holding up Uncle Takato?"

"Its doing well," Takato wiped the excess bread flour off his hands with a towel, "but if you keep eating our goods, we won't have anything left to sell." Both laughed at the joke. "So what brings you here?"

"Well, I was hungry," Keishinko smiled, "but I was just looking for Mono, is he here?" Takato nodded, "Yeah, he's in the back with Guilmon. I really don't know what they're doing right now…" Matsuda swung the counter separating the kitchen from the rest of the bakery up to let the young Akiyama in, "let's see." They walked to the back to see Guilmon and Monodramon on the floor, sleeping, and half eaten loaves of bread scattered around. Takato shook his head and sighed, "After all these years, both of them barely changed." Keishinko laughed as she saw both of them sleeping on the ground, not peacefully, but quite loudly.

The bell rang again as Takato walked back to the bakery to help the customer, "Welcome to the Matsuda…"

"I heard it so many times already!" a female voice said sarcastically, "Three years, and you still can't tell when your wife enters her own home." A red-haired woman with sunglasses and wearing a business suit stood in front of Takato and Keishinko, smirking. "Well," Takato said meekly, "you know how it is."

"I was joking Takato," she pulled the sunglasses up, resting them on her red hair, to reveal her lavender eyes. She walked over to the counter and swung it up, walking behind the counter to Takato. "I know that," Takato said as she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him.

"Please, guys," Keishinko said, pretending to throw up. The woman released the embrace with her husband and looked at Keishinko with her hands on her hips. The feline girl immediately stopped and chuckled, "how are you doing Auntie Ruki?"

"Hello Keishinko," she smiled and hugged her also, "I'm okay, but I don't think my clients will be okay for a while."

"They fall off the catwalk again?" Takato joked. Ruki glanced over to Takato and then back to Keishinko, "No," she said immediately, "they're aren't any openings for any models right now. It's hard for them, but it'll pull through eventually. Its nothing to worry about." The bell went off again.

"Welcome to the Matsuda…" Takato looked who was entering, "Hey Kitsune."

"Hey everyone," Kitsune walked in, lightly panting "Keishinko, what are you doing here? Let me guess, you got hungry again?" He smirked as Keishinko scowled, "As a matter of fact, yes," the female hybrid huffed, "and I was looking for Mono. What are you doing here, tardy boy?"

"Ha ha," Kitsune mimicked a horrible laugh, "very funny. My dad sent me here to get bread." Renamon appeared right beside her son. "And mom's with me." Renamon saw Ruki behind Takato and Keishinko.

"Renamon," Ruki smiled and walked over to her partner, "everything doing okay?"

"Yes, but Kitsune here still cannot keep up with me," Renamon smiled, "isn't that right?" Kitsune unwillingly accepted defeat and nodded, "but that's because you were in the trees. And besides, I'm only HALF Digimon." Takato, Keishinko, and Ruki laughed. Renamon simply smiled at her son's remark. Takato went into the back and got a loaf of bread to give to Kitsune and Renamon. When he returned, Guilmon and Monodramon were with him, "Hi Renamon!" Guilmon waved happily, "Hi Kitsune. You and Renamon were racing again?" Kitsune smiled and nodded, "I wish I could play with you too, but Takato always needs help."

"But instead of helping," Takato folded his arms and looked down at Guilmon, "you eat everything, all the time!" Guilmon scratched his head, "will you let me play then?" Takato sighed as he handed the loaf to the mother and son.

"Keish," Monodramon blinked, "looking for me?" She walked over to Monodramon, "Yeah, YOU were supposed to go with me to get some guitar stuff today." Monodramon sweat dropped and he scratched his head, "Oh, well, we better get going then. Bye everyone." Keishinko and Monodramon left the bakery.

"We better get going too," Kitsune turned to his mom, "Dad'll get mad if we don't back quick with the bread. Later Uncle Takato, Auntie Ruki. " He and his mom turned to leave, and disappeared in a flash. Takato looked up at the clock, "well, I think it's about closing time, Guilmon, help me…" He turned to Guilmon who was fast asleep on the ground again. He sighed, "It's alright, just sleep and let me do all the work…"

"Looks like he's as goofy as he was 16 years ago," Ruki smirked as she walked up the stairs to the living quarters, "when me and Renamon kept kicking your butts."

Takato looked towards the stairs and smirked. He sighed as he locked the front door, picked up the broom and began to sweep the floor.

* * *

A/N: Another chapter down. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. Lots of character development in this chapter, so there is much more revealed about the hybrid trio. More stuff to come, I guarantee it . Please R&R! 

Dexstrosity the LdOFDestruction


	4. Chapter 4: Family Issues

A/N: Another week, another chapter. Thanks for all the support so far to all my readers, even the ones still reading Mating Season. I hope you enjoy this chapter, because things will begin to pick up (Finally :P).

Chapter 4: Family Issues

Kitsune walked out of the school building to where Keishinko and Atsuiko were waiting for him for lunch. "Hello Kitsu-kun," Atsuiko smiled, "Me and Keishin-chan were waiting for you. Were you in trouble again?"

Kitsune scratched his head, "why do you always think I'm in trouble?"

"Because you do." Keishinko said matter-of-factly

Keishinko had a strap around her shoulder, and she spun it around, revealing a lavender electric guitar with a built in amplifier, "Me and Mono finally got this." She smirked, "I love this thing." He looked around at the busy campus courtyard, "let's get out of here, its too noisy." The three disguised hybrids relocated to a more serene, quiet spot farther from the noise. "So, what you get on that paper we had to write?" the fox boy asked his friends.

"I did okay," the Dobermon hybrid said as she opened her lunch box and started to eat, "Sensei said that it was moving."

"C," Keishinko said proudly as she ate her lunch, "hell yeah!"

"A," Kitsune said simply, "he said it was interesting, and great fiction." Keishinko threw her chopsticks at him, "what was that for?"

"For getting a better grade," Keishinko scowled as she recollected her chopsticks, "what was it about anyway?"

"Our life." Kitsune said as he took a bite into his pork bun, "I basically told the story about how we all became hybrids." The other two friends looked at him as if he performed a mortal sin, "what?"

"It's that…" Atsuiko started, but Keishinko butt in.

"No one should know about us, idiot!" Keishinko shouted at him, "we may know, but my mom and dad said try to keep it as secret as possible." Kitsune looked at both of them, and then turned his attention to Keishinko again, pointing right at her, "well, you walk around with your tail and ears out! How "secret" is that?" Keishinko's tail wagged slightly behind her, "I already convinced everyone that it's cosplay, so there!"

"And all the guys think you're "kawaii…"" Kitsune laughed, "get that, Keishin-chan?" Keishinko broke her chopsticks with one hand, her blazing eyes dead locked on Kitsune. Kitsune immediately jumped up and ran, with Keishinko not far behind. "Keishin-chan, kawaii!" Kitsune shouted and immediately burst out in laughter as he ran around the courtyard avoiding a very angry Keishinko.

* * *

It was after school, and Atsuiko stood outside her classroom after an extra session of tutoring, "Arigato, sensei," she bowed, "I understand the material now." She smiled and began to walk down the hall by herself. 'Kitsu-kun and Keishin-chan must be chasing each other again,' she thought as she walked slowly down the hall. Atsuiko smiled when she thought about those two teasing each other. 'Looks like its straight home for me.' 

She stepped outside to the bright sunlight and walked though the now silent, vacuous courtyard. She walked silently through the yard and out the gate where she started towards her way home. Along her path is a park, with a playground consisting of a big slide housed within a large structure and other things that families would enjoy doing together. Like any other day, she passed by the park, but this time she stopped in front of it and looked at it. The female hybrid, who usually kept her dog-like ears hidden, walked up to a bench and sat down and looked around slowly and silently.

Her dark blue hair blew softly with the wind as she observed a father and son playing on the swings of the park. A sigh escaped from her slightly open mouth, 'Father,' she thought solemnly as she continued watching the father and son, 'who were you? What were you?' She then reached into her bag to take out a picture she kept with her all the time.

The stained-wooden frame held a picture of her at a young age with her mother kneeling right beside her. Right behind them was a tall man with short brown hair and a baseball cap on, wearing jeans and a leather jacket with a black shirt inside, leaning against a big robot like figure. On the other side was another man, a bit wider and shorter than the other. He wore black pants with a button up green plaid shirt, and had on a pair of eyeglasses and long, green hair and on his shoulder sat a pink little fairy. In between the two men was a woman about the same age, wearing a short-sleeved shirt and jeans with short brown hair seemingly leaning against some kind of huge monster.

But the young female's attention was focused on her mother, a young American girl with blond hair who kneeled beside her, smiling and with one arm around her in the picture. 'Mother,' she thought, 'you have blond hair, but I,' the teenager took off the hair ribbon which usually kept her hair back, and her dog-like ears hidden, and then began to feel her soft hair and looked at it, 'I have this dark hair. Why?'

"Atsuiko?" a voice asked from the side of her. She fumbled with the picture as she tried to put it away. She looked up and saw that it was Hirokazu Shiota, the brown haired man in the picture looking at her, "what are you doing out here?" he took a seat beside her.

"Oh, Uncle Hiro," she tied the ribbon back into her hair, "I was just walking home from school, and I felt I should take a quick rest." She looked at him and smiled.

"I see," he nodded, "You know, it's been a while since I've been here." Shiota looked around nostalgically, "this park is the place I first got into digimon with Kenta and Takato." He laughed, "of course, without those digimon, this world would be toast…"

"Uncle Hiro?" Atsuiko interrupted her "Uncle," "did you know my father?" Hirokazu turned to her at the mention of that type of question. He smiled as he turned silently back to the park and surveyed the trees, playground, and people again.

"Your father," Hirokazu started, "was a brave one. He helped the rest of us Tamers, including your mother, save two worlds. But…" The young McCoy waited for an answer. "You know what, just remember him as a savior for this world and another."

The Dobermon tamer smiled, although disappointed by the vague details.

He smiled, "Come on, I'll walk you home, your mom is probably waiting for you."

She nodded and accepted Hirokazu's offer and they both walked towards Atsuiko's home.

* * *

Kitsune sat in his room, completely bored. The sun was about to set and the city of West Shinjuku slowly began to darken. He sat there with a dim light as he stared at a computer screen, thinking of what to write about next. 'Damn writer's blocks,' he tapped his clawed finger against the spacebar of his keyboard, 'I was always better writing with pen and pencil…' As he began to type a random sentence, his father knocked on his door. "Come in!" Kitsune said, without taking his eyes off his screen. 

"Kitsune," Jenrya walked in, "could you do me a favor?"

Kitsune turned in his chair, "Sure dad, what is it?"

"Can you make or find dinner tonight?" Jenrya asked as he folded his arms, "I got a call from work and they need me at the building tonight. I might not get home till late." The fox boy nodded, "I'll just head over to Uncle Takato's to pick something up." Jenrya was about to walk out of the room before his son stopped him, "Dad, can I ask you one question?" Jenrya nodded, "what do you work for? You never really told me…" The elder Lee adjusted his glasses and turned to his son.

"I'm doing what Granddad used to do, I work with computers." He said, "programming and the such. Why?"

Kitsune's tail waved back and forth slightly, "Just wondering."

"Okay," Jenrya began to walk near the door again, "you're going to be okay with dinner tonight? If you're heading to Uncle Takato and Aunt Ruki's, Terriermon will meet you there. I think he's over there right now."

"Yeah, sure, I'll be sure to go meet up with Terriermon at the Bakery." Kitsune said without turning around. Jenrya nodded and walked out the door. Kitsune looked at the closed door, 'programming huh?' the young Lee thought as he looked at the computer screen again. He finally began to type something on the computer:

_My dad always seemed to change the subject when I asked him about his job. But there was that one night, I asked him and he actually gave me a direct answer. "Programming," he said. I nodded; giving him the impression that I was contempt with that answer, but I knew there was more. I knew he was hiding something from me. I mean, I trust my father and all, but there was this feeling I had…_

The fox boy stopped writing. "Just fiction," Kitsune laughed, "I'm getting hungry, better head over to Uncle Takato's now…" He shut off his computer, got up and began to walk out his room, where his mother, Renamon stopped him. "Kitsune," she said. He turned to her.

"Where are you going?" she asked. Kitsune blinked, "well, dad told me to find dinner. He went off to work. I was thinking of heading over to Uncle Takato and Auntie Ruki's place…" She nodded. Kitsune started walking again, but stopped and turned to his mother again, "Mom?" Renamon looked at her son, "what does Dad work as?"

"The same as his father was, computer programming." Renamon answered. Kitsune was quiet, 'I still don't know…' "Is something the matter?" Renamon's question broke Kitsune's thoughts.

Kitsune shook his head, "No, nothing" he said, "well, let's go to the bakery. I'm hungry." And the mother and son walked out of the apartment and took a trip over to the Matsuda Bakery, racing as usual.

* * *

It was getting late as Atsuiko sat quietly on her bed. She had a book in her hands and she read over it, studying its words and absorbing the story hidden within. She finally put the book down, 'A brave one,' the words Hirokazu spoke to her earlier echoed in her head, 'how was father brave?' She got up and walked out into the hall to ask her mother about her father more. Atsuiko found her mother in the kitchen, with a cup of tea in her hands, sitting alone. 

"Mother?" Atsuiko asked as she walked up to her blond-haired mother, "I have a question to ask." Her mother, Alice, smiled and pulled out a seat for Atsuiko to sit in. "How was…father?"

"What do you mean?" Alice asked.

"Uncle Hiro, he told me father was a brave one." Atsuiko faced her mother, "I never really seen Father, and I was wondering what he was like. He was a digimon, right?" She reached up and touched her sensitive ears above her dark hair again.

Alice took a sip of her tea, "Yes, Uncle Hiro was right about your father. He was brave." She looked straight into the eyes of her daughter, "And yes, he was a digimon. But that never mattered. He loved me, and he loved you enough to save the world we live in." She looked out the kitchen window; "I think it's time I tell you about your birth." She got up and looked at a picture on the kitchen counter, the same one as the one Atsuiko carried around. "Your birth was nothing short of a miracle. I remember that night so vividly," Alice looked at her daughter again, tears welling up in her eyes, "they said that you were gone, dead, but a miracle happened."

"Father…" Atsuiko choked out, "was it?" Alice nodded.

"No one really knew what happened that night," Alice continued, "but I knew in my heart that your father got to you that night," she looked out the window again, "and I always think he's watching over both of us, everyday."

"Mom," the Dobermon-hybrid asked, "what…kind of digimon was father?"

"A Dobermon," Alice answered as she sat down again, "strong, loyal, and loving. He was originally sent to help the Tamers, and I was there with him…." Atsuiko sat there silently, seemingly lost in thought, "is something the matter dear?"

"Oh, no," Atsuiko got up, "thank you for telling me more about Father. I'm getting a bit tired and sleepy; I think I'll go to sleep now. Good night." She walked off to her room and closed the door quietly.

'Atsuiko,' the blond-haired mother thought, 'something's bothering you.' She looked down into her teacup, 'She has had depressions lately, could it be because of what she found out about Dobermon?' Alice shook her head slowly, 'To have no father,' she continued to think, 'only others in his place…' A tear rolled down her eye, 'I'm sorry Atsuiko. I know exactly how you feel.'

* * *

Jenrya ran out of his car into the small business building. "What's the report?" Jenrya asked as his hair flew into his face. A young man with dirty blond hair at a computer turned around, "Disturbances around the city Lee-san." 

Jenrya leaned over the desk at a larger computer screen, "how did it happen?" he asked without taking his eyes off the screen.

"I believe it is the same incident that happened 17 years ago," the young man turned to his superior, "when you were a Tamer, and Dad was working at that God-awful place." The dirty blond teen looked at the screen once again, "They're breaking through again, Lee-san." The elder Lee grunted and stood straight up.

"It's been a while," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a D-Arc, "hope this thing still works." He turned to the adolescent in the seat, "Yamaki, you think your dad still knows what to do about Digimon?"

The adolescent looked at his superior, "don't know. Mom and Dad really hated those things at one point." He looked at the screen, "Hold your breath, and hope to the Gods this works…" the two programmers watched the screen closely, and the disturbance slowly died down, "got it. That was close…"

"These are getting more stressful every time." Lee breathed a sigh of relief. He looked over to his worker. "Yes," the young Yamaki answered, "it almost broke through, but I was able to keep the RW Firewall operational before it was breached. But I do not think it will hold off for long." Lee rubbed his tired eyes, "how long do we have?"

The young man typed rapidly on his keyboard, "25 hours." Jenrya sighed. "Reiko-kun," Lee looked at the screen again, "is there anyway to strengthen the Firewall?"

"Yes, but the DW Firewall is weakened and I cannot repair that one, only the RW Firewall." Reiko Yamaki typed quickly, "It won't do much. Gives us an extra three hours if I do that…"

"Do it." Jenrya took a seat, "and call the others. We'll need all the help we can get."

* * *

A/N: Thought that Kitsu and the others were the only new generation eh? Anyway, he should show up a lot more in the series now. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, till next week: Please R&R, visit my website, and drop me a line/review. I appreciate every word! 

Dexstrosity the LdOFDestruction


	5. Chapter 5: Digital Siege

A/N: Well, following the trend from last week, we see ACTION in this chapter! Yay for action lovers! Enjoy.

Chapter 5: Digital Siege

"Tell me," Kitsune looked over to Keishinko, who was currently playing her electric guitar, "do you even know how to play that thing?" She let the lavender axe hang loosely by the strap that held it up, "Of course I do," she said. She pointed to her ears, "differently shaped ears. It's easier to hear sounds like music and also to play it. You should be able to do that too Fox boy." Kitsune's long ears twitched, and Keishinko smirked, "I know you do."

Atsuiko stared out the window of Kitsune's room, ignoring her friends' quarrels as usual. She could not help but think about all the things her mother was talking to her about the night before. Her father, a dog type digimon. A dog type, dog type digimon…Over and over. The Dobermon Hybrids' mother's words, describing her father as a Dobermon, incessantly repeated over and over in her mind. 'Why is something like this bothering me?' she watched as the clouds streamed by above, 'Father was brave, and he saved the world. But…'

"Hey Atsuiko," Keishinko called over from across the room, "what's wrong, you've been quieter than usual today."

Atsuiko smiled, "oh, nothing. It's just I've been thinking about all the things we're learning in school. It's a bit much and I'm just making sure I remember it all."

"Thinking about school, now?" The Digital feline hybrid blinked, "I wouldn't worry about it now. It's the weekend. Relax." She took off her guitar and got up to stretch. Atsuiko turned her attention back to the window. Kitsune looked over to Atsuiko, "you sure there isn't anything bothering you Atsuiko?" Atsuiko looked over to her childhood friend, smiled again, and nodded. "Okay…"

Kitsune went back to his own train of thought, 'Dad's work,' he took off his glasses as he sat there thinking, 'I haven't even seen it and I rarely ever hear him talk about it…' he looked up, 'why am I making such a big deal about this anyway?' The Fox boy rubbed his eyes, 'I don't know…'

Suddenly, all thee of them heard a loud explosion somewhere outside. Immediately, the three hybrids jumped to their feet, with the exception of Keishinko who was already on her feet. "What in the world…?"

"Guys, outside!" Atsuiko pointed out the window. The two others gathered by the window to see a huge dome-like structure made completely out of mist, "what is that?"

"I don't know," Kitsune immediately raced to the door, "but that's where Uncle Takato's Bakery is!" Right outside his door was his mother, "Mom…!"

"I know," Renamon looked at her son, "it's a Bio-Merge."

"What's happening?" Kitsune asked.

"Let's just say that all that training and sparring we always do will pay off now," Renamon said as she walked past her son and down the stairs, "you'll see when we get there." With those words, and a confused bunch of hybrids, all four of them ran off to save the Matsuda Bakery.

* * *

Meanwhile… 

Ryo was working at his home in front of his computer once again. He watched the window on his screen, showing grassland. The quality was as good as a web cam, but he only watched for anything unusual, 'Man, I wish I could actually go back once and a while,' he thought as he opened a can of soda and drank it, 'but I guess since Keish was born, we can't. Maybe we could go there sometime, and I could tell Juri that we'll go as a family vacation…' He took another sip of the caffeine-filled beverage and looked at the screen, 'what the…' A glowing wormhole appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the grassland. He zoomed in, "Oh no…" Before he got up from his computer, he got an Instant message from his coworker:

NeoYamaki: Goliath, we got a huge problem on our hands. The DW Firewall is completely destroyed and the RW Firewall has been expanded! A Digital Field is opening to the Real World and Digimon have found out! The Wild ones are loose again! Tao and Terriermon are going to fight them and I think you should too!

"Damn," Akiyama gritted his teeth as he rushed off to his bedroom and pulled open one of his drawers. "I hope I still have it…" He dug deeper and deeper into his drawer. He finally came across his D-Arc, "Yes! Monodramon should already be there, or I hope he is. Good timing, it's been boring around here lately." He got into his car and drove off to Central West Shinjuku, right in the middle of the city.

* * *

"Reiko! What the hell happened?" Jenrya said as he had his eyes deadlocked on the huge screen in front of him, "I thought you said we had 25 hours!" Reiko continued to type at his quick pace as he stared at the graphics on his screen, "We did, until something happened to the Firewall!" He continued to type, "It just disappeared! The RW Firewall just started to expand after that and before we know it, a wormhole to this world opened!" 

"Lee," a 20-year old Indian girl turned to the longhaired Tamer, "Central West Shinjuku, in front of a Bakery, a digital field is open!"

"Can't get it now," a black man, about the same age as the Indian girl reported, "The Digimon is in the Real World already! We gotta destroy those gates manually!"

The blond haired boy got up quickly and turned to Jenrya, "Tao, we have to do something. These digimon…"

"I know," Jenrya pounded his fist on the desk, "I fought these things before. Terriermon!" Terriermon jumped on top of Jenrya's head, "did you notice if there were there any openings you saw other than the one in the tool shed?" The little digimon shook his head, "Nope, that was the only one!" Lee looked at the screen again, "I hate to do this," He pulled out his D-Arc and turned to the young Yamaki and the others, "Reiko, Kaju, Blake, make sure no other gates or digimon break through, I have some cleaning up to do." The three nodded and Jenrya got into his car and drove off to the Digital Field.

* * *

Takato looked at the clock of his Bakery, "Strange, its pretty quiet for lunch hour. What's happening outside…" he walked over to the door and swung it open to find himself in a thick fog, "Oh no," the 30-year old Baker mumbled, "After all these years, these things still appear…" A smile grew slowly on his face, "Yes!" He ran inside to find his D-Arc once again, and before long he found his Red D-Arc, and a pair of goggles. He immediately took off his apron and replaced it with a hooded sweater, and he replaced his hairnet with his goggles. "Guilmon! Hope you're ready, cause we got to protect the Bakery!" Guilmon nodded and the Tamer and Digimon duo ran outside. 

There he saw some kind of large rhino-like digimon, "A Vermilimon…" Takato looked at his D-Arc, "Guilmon, let's go!" Guilmon nodded and ran off to do battle with the Dinosaur digimon. Guilmon shot a fireball at the invading digimon, but it seemed to just shrug it off. It growled and looked directly at Guilmon, "Volcanic Strike!" it stomped hard on the ground, causing the Red Virus digimon to fly up, and what soon followed was a blazing stream of molten rock heading right at Guilmon, "Dodge it Guilmon!" yelled the Tamer as Guilmon barely avoided the magma.

"This isn't looking too good…" Takato reached into his pocket, but found it empty, "oh no, I forgot the cards!" He panicked, "Guilmon, hang in there buddy!" He was about to run back into his bakery but a small tornado flew right into the invader from another side, saving Guilmon from certain deletion. Right after the attack came Jenrya walking through the mist with round, rimless sunglasses on. "Looks like you need a little help." Takato smirked, "well, yeah, it's been a while."

"Enough, Fox Leaf Arrowhead!" another voice called out from another angle. Takato and Jenrya turned to see Renamon, followed by the three hybrids. "I thought Kitsune and the others should have a little battle experience today." Renamon said as she landed. The Vermilimon was not affected by either attack.

"Is that a digimon?" Kitsune asked. Everyone looked at him, giving him an obvious answer, "why is it here?"

"I don't even know, but if we don't stop it right now, then the bakery or any of us may get damaged" Takato turned, "less talk more battle! Guilmon!" Guilmon rushed at the Vermilimon again and slashed at it, but the Vermilimon just shook it off. "Damn, nothing's working!"

The older Lee pulled out a card, "hope this still works, Card Slash!" He slashed a card and looked at Terriermon if anything happening, "just as I thought…" Takato looked over at Jenrya, "This field, and this data…"

"Its different." Renamon finished his sentence, "it feels strange in a way. But it won't stop me from deleting this loser!" Renamon jumped up and tried to kick the Vermilimon off his balance and luckily incapacitate him in some way, but the Tao Fox was unsuccessful. Renamon found herself vulnerable in mid air "No…" Vermilimon jumped and head butted Renamon, sending her flying into the ground.

"Renamon!" Jenrya shouted as he ran to be by her, "Terriermon, we have to stop them some way! You and Guilmon try attacking at the same time!" He went to tend to his love.

"You heard the Tamer Guilmon," Terriermon turned to Guilmon, who nodded, "let's kick this thing's butt!" Both digimon ran towards the enemy, Guilmon from the left and Terriermon on the right. They both jumped and released a barrage of projectile attacks, small green bubbles from Terriermon and a bright red fireball from Guilmon. The barrage sent the Vermilimon reeling, "Again!" Terriermon yelled, Guilmon and Terriermon rushed again and barraged again, but this time came crashing down on the Perfect level digimon. A green twister hit the large rhino-dinosaur like digimon on his left while Guilmon's glowing red claw slashed from the right. With one last roar, the digimon was deleted and burst into little pieces of data.

"That was close…" Terriermon sighed, "guess that age thing applies to digimon now too?" Guilmon scratched his head as he went over to Takato and asked him a question, "Takato, why does Guilmon feel strange?" Takato looked around him and saw the Digital Field dissipate, "I don't know." He turned to see Jenrya "is Renamon going to be okay?"

Renamon was already up, leaning against Jenrya, "I'll be fine." She sighed, "I shouldn't have let that happen. In front of Kitsune no less." She looked over to the group of hybrids, and they stood there, watching the whole thing.

"Whoa," Keishinko watched the whole battle in awe, "did you see that? Terriermon and Guilmon totally destroyed that digimon!"

"I saw it," Kitsune said, but he had other thoughts on his mind, 'but why did Mom lose so easily if she kept training?' He shook his head and started to walk towards the group of Tamers and Digimon. "That was pretty cool!" Keishinko commented, "I never really seen anything like that!"

"Well," Terriermon jumped onto Jenrya's shoulder, "we used to do that all the time, but we're a bit rusty." Before more conversation took place, Ryo pulled up in his car and got out, "aw, did I miss it already?" Ryo asked, with Monodramon standing right beside him.

"Yeah," Takato answered, "but it's strange, Guilmon, Terriermon, and Renamon all had trouble defeating it. And the cards don't work anymore!" Ryo nodded, "you knew about this?"

Ryo looked at Jenrya, "Me and Jen had a feeling, but we weren't completely sure, but now we know. The thing is, though, we don't know why." The Legendary Tamer saw his daughter and the others standing close by, "Keish, you and the others fight?" Keishinko turned around and shook her head, "no, we watched the others fight." Ryo turned back to the other Tamers, "anyway, we have to figure out why now, before more break loose, or we'll be in huge trouble."

"Uh, Dad?" Kitsune called over his dad, "I think it's a bit too late." Kitsune pointed over to another part of the city. "Damn," Jenrya mumbled, "Terriermon, you okay for another round?" Terriermon nodded, "hopefully…" A phone went off. Jenrya reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone, "Hello?"

After a lengthy conversation, Jenrya hung up the phone and looked at the others, "Reiko just called, and there's three digital fields open. He said multiple digimon are appearing though them now. We won't be able to save the city unless we split up." He sighed as he turned to Kitsune and the others. "Kitsune, Keishinko, Atsuiko, all of you must fight."

"What?" Kitsune asked, surprised, "but these are digimon we're talking about! We have no experience…" Keishinko broke in, "we would like to, but none of us know how to fight these things!"

"I…I do not know how to fight." Atsuiko admitted willingly, "I do not even know what my powers are…"

"We have no choice," Jenrya said, "I'd rather not have you three fight, but we have to close all of them before its too late and even more digimon break loose in the real world. If they do escape, even if they're data or not, people will get hurt and even killed." The hybrids looked at each other, thinking about what they must do. They all nodded, accepting their responsibility.

The elder Lee turned to Ryo, "Ryo, we have to be careful. Cards don't work, which probably means Evolution won't work either, too much of a data difference." He turned to all of them, "Okay, this is how it's going to work. Kitsune, go with your mother and Takato to the park. Keishinko, go with your father and Mono to the Subway Station, there's one open there too. Atsuiko, you'll have to stay with me and protect the Industrial District here." All of them agreed on the pairings and began on their campaign to prevent the digimon from escaping to the real world.

* * *

A/N: Just a few things I should comment on: 

Yes, I understand that "Reiko" is a female name, yet I named Yamaki's son that. Why? Just wait…

More of the second-generation Monster Makers/Wild Bunch was introduced in this chapter. Just want to say they're fan created (if it wasn't obvious :P). And I know its in the chapter, but I'll just say it again: they're younger than Jen, but older than Reiko.

That's it for now, more next week. Hope you enjoyed it and PLEASE R&R!

Dexstrosity the LdOFDestruction


	6. Chapter 6: Reasons

A/N: Alright, good stuff now. Enjoy.

Chapter 6: Reasons

Takato locked up the Bakery, got on his bike, and he and Guilmon began to follow Renamon and Kitsune to the old park. 'Been a while since I've been there…' Takato thought as he peddled faster and faster just to keep up with the sheer speed of the Tao fox and her son, 'hope no one got hurt.'

"Mom," Kitsune turned to his mother as they continued running, "I'm not sure if I can do this. I mean I really don't fight at all. And sparring with you is different from this…"

"Relax," Renamon interrupted her son, "it won't be too bad. You've been training with me, that should be enough."

"But, I saw what happened back there," Kitsune said, a bit concerned, "and I heard what you and Dad said. They're different data from us, advanced even."

"If you are afraid of getting hurt, don't be," Renamon quickly said, "just fight with all you have and you will win, easily. Trust me, I'm your mother." Renamon looked at her son, "We're almost there, get ready!" The Fox boy nodded as he pulled his gloves. "I see them," Renamon said, "let's go!"

Immediately, Renamon and Kitsune jumped onto the scene. Takato was not far behind. He finally caught up to them, "Okay, we have to clear everyone out of here first, look for any other people!" The mother and son began their search, making sure the area was completely evacuated. They came back in a matter of seconds and both confirmed that it was clear, "alright, lets kick some digimon butt!" The trio walked deeper and deeper into the fog, and before long, they found an enemy. "There!" Renamon yelled. "Three Rockmon and a Blossomon." Takato whipped out his D-Arc and read the data on the digimon, "Rockmon: Hard as a rock and it uses its power to control Rocks to attack! Blossomon: A plant digimon who uses its thorny vines and flowers to stun its opponents. Renamon, Kitsune, Guilmon, be careful!" All three of them nodded and ran off into battle.

'I have no idea what to do,' Kitsune thought as he ran towards an unsuspecting Rockmon, 'this thing's huge…!' "Kitsune!" Renamon called out from right beside him, "remember what I said: keep fighting no matter what! Hit hard and fast, then dodge, go!" Renamon jumped high, "Fox Leaf Arrowhead!" shards of ice went flying towards the Rock digimon, and like its results before, they were unsuccessful. Kitsune ran right at another Rockmon, "Take this!" Kitsune came down on it with a flying kick, but nothing happened. Kitsune panicked when he found his attack not working. "Kitsune! Attack with me!" Renamon yelled at her son. Renamon jumped from one side, Kitsune regained his composure and followed his mother's instructions and ran from the other side.

Guilmon was fighting the third Rockmon, only seeing the same results as his other comrades. "Takato, its not getting hurt!" Guilmon yelled, "What should I do?" Takato watched on, 'damn, what do I do?' "Guilmon, we have to take on one of them at a time, help Renamon and Kitsune!" Guilmon nodded and faced the Rockmon Kitsune and his mother planned to ambush, "Fire Ball!" Guilmon yelled as he shot a red ball of flame at the Rockmon while Renamon and Kitsune struck from the sides, "Power Paw!" the Tao Fox came down, slashing the huge rock monster. Kitsune came down from the other side digging his heel straight through the rock digimon's body. All three attacks were in perfect sync, hitting the monster at the exact same time. The digimon burst into data specks and floated away. Before the three digimon could retaliate, the two Rockmon and Blossomon attacked them. Renamon and Kitsune were able to dodge the attacks, but Guilmon was hit hard and went flying back. "Guilmon!" Takato yelled as he ran over to his fallen Digimon, "Renamon, Kitsune, you have to delete those other three digimon!"

"How do we?" Kitsune said as he continued to fly through the air, "it took all three of us to take down one." He looked over to his mother, "well Mom?"

The two landed just a few feet away from each other. Renamon looked over to her son, "we'll have to hit them as fast as we can. Follow me." The yellow fox jumped high into the air, "Fox Leaf Arrowhead!" The ice shards formed once again in front of the Tao Fox and flew straight at one of them. Kitsune was on the other side of the monster; thrust his right palm in front of him, "Arrowheads!" Similar ice shards came flying from in front of Kitsune's palm. Before long, the Rockmon was covered in shards of ice, "Kitsune, attack now!" Renamon yelled as the both landed. They began to run straight at the digimon, "Power Paw!" Renamon cried as she slashed at the digimon. Kitsune followed, but instead of slashing, he jumped into the air, spun, and drove the side of his left foot into the Rockmon. On impact of the second attack, the shards that ripped into the Rockmon earlier exploded like claymore mines, deleting the digimon instantly.

"Those two sure work well together…" Takato said as he kneeled by Guilmon's side, "you okay buddy?" Guilmon nodded, "but I don't know if I can help them right now."

"Mom," Kitsune said, panting, "are you sure we can actually do that two more times?" Renamon looked over to her son again, "we have no choice, get ready…!" Before Renamon could finish her sentence, the remaining Rockmon attacked, "Rock Ball!" its loud booming voice yelled as it held a huge boulder over its head, ready to throw. Renamon smirked, 'this'll be easy to dodge.' She thought, but another attack came from another side, without her knowing. Before long, Renamon was caught in vines. "No…" she mumbled as a rock came flying at her. The rock hit her, and she went flying. "Mom!" Kitsune yelled and ran over to where his mom stopped skidding. "Mom…"

"I'll be alright," Renamon coughed, "but you're on your own right now Kitsune." Kitsune shook his head, "No, I'll stay here with you…" Renamon pushed her son away, "no, you have to fight! We can't let this Digital Field spread. Now go!" Renamon shouted. Kitsune did not want to but reluctantly turned and looked at the remaining digimon. The Rockmon roared loudly and the Blossomon peered over to Kitsune.

"It's that half-breed everyone has been talking about," the Blossomon said, "that half human. We have to kill it!"

'How did they know…?' Kitsune thought in utter surprise. 'I never seen a digimon in my life other than the ones in my family. How did these…these _things_ know?' He looked over to his Uncle Takato, who had the same expression on his face. 'We haven't been to the Digital World in more than 16 years,' Matsuda thought, 'how did they know?'

"It's time to claim our victory," The Blossomon said, "Rockmon, let us kill the traitors and the half breed!" Rockmon roared again "Rock Ball!" the huge boulder formed again. Kitsune remained motionless, still bewildered by the knowledge of him and the others reaching other worlds. The huge rock monster leaned back; ready to unleash his attack. Kitsune still stood there, with the completely lost look in his eyes, 'how…?' he thought, and before long the boulder came flying right at him. He stood there like a deer in headlights as his allies yelled and screamed, telling him to move, but the rock was too close to even dodge, even at his speed. "No…!" He stepped back, and covered his face with his arms. But before the rock could hit him, a pink bubble formed around him, creating a protective barrier.

"The Calvary has arrived!" someone yelled off to the side. Takato looked over to see a man with a leather jacket on and a baseball cap. Beside him was a man with long dark green hair and eyeglasses. "Hirokazu! Kenta!" Takato's eyes lit up to see that there was still hope to defeat the invading digimon, "where have you guys been?"

"We saw this fog and both of remembered what happened 16 years ago." The now older Kitagawa spoke, "we thought you all needed some help." His digimon Marineangemon, a little pink fairy digimon sat on his shoulder.

"Yeah," Hirokazu smirked, "and we didn't want to miss this battle. On our old dueling grounds nonetheless." He turned to his digimon partner, "alright Guardromon! Let's show these digimon who's still the best Tamer and Digimon duo around!" A large brown robot stood behind Hirokazu, "Yes. Destructive Grenade!" He aimed his arms towards the Rockmon and Blossomon and fired two missiles that whistled through the air. They hit the large Rockmon and exploded on impact, after the smoke cleared, the two digimon were still there, alive. "What the…?"

"Normal attacks by just one digimon isn't going to work on these guys!" Takato yelled, "They're some kind of different data. This whole field is different than what it was before. So we all have to attack together!" the two tamers agreed and they went to fight the two digimon as a team.

Kitsune still stood there, caught in his own web of thought, 'they want to kill me because I'm different.' He thought as he watched the three tamers fight. He shook out his own thoughts and ran over to his mother, who was now on her feet, "Kitsune, we have to fight again." She said as she began to walk back to the battle, but her son stopped her, "Mom?" Kitsune asked. Renamon turned around, "what…am I exactly?" he asked, as he pushed his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose.

"My son." Renamon stated straight to the point. "Now stop asking questions like that, we have a battle to finish."

At first, Kitsune was quite confused by the statement. 'Her son?' he thought, 'how obvious is that?' "Mom!" He suddenly yelled out of desperation and anger, "_what_ am I?"

Renamon stopped in her tracks and turned to her son. Her face expressed something he had never experienced before: anger.

"A hybrid," Renamon said, "Jenrya Lee and Renamon's son! That's what you are! Now stop with these frivolous questions and concentrate on defeating these digimon!" She quickly turned away from her son. Kitsune stood there in surprise. Never did she yell at him at that intensity, no matter what he did. It was then when he realized what she meant.

Kitsune broke out his trance and followed his mother. By the time they arrived, the three Tamers and their digimon defeated the third Rockmon, leaving only the Blossomon to fight.

"Even if I am defeated," the Bloosomon threatened, "the digimon cannot be stopped from coming into this world! Be warned, we are the beginning!" it yelled as he was ready to attack, "Thorn Whips!" Dozens of vines flew from its main body, attacking the four digimon running at him. 'Why isn't it attacking me?' Kitsune thought as he continued running towards his enemy, past the vines. One by one, the vines of the high level digimon knocked out the Fox boy's allies until he found himself standing in front of the enemy by himself.

"Now I will have the glory of deleting this mistake," it boomed. "You know that you are nothing! A mistake that should have never happened! Kitsune stared straight at the Blossomon. His eyes were filled with both fear and anger, staring straight. Straight into the eyes of his murderer, a giant flower hell bent on destroying him and his family and friends. _You are nothing_ echoed in his head incessantly as he closed his eyes. Fear and anger built, fear and anger, fear and anger, anger, anger, anger…

"Spiral Flower!" The Blossomon cried as the razor sharp flowers and their pearly equally sharp teeth circled in frenzy around the hybrid. "It's over hybrid! I will be honored for your death!" The death flowers focused in on the nucleus they orbited, and flew in for the kill. "Kitsune!" Renamon yelled as she tried to crawl up from the ground.

Slash.

Kitsune's two arms were completely extended to its full length. The flowers fell to the ground, sliced into ribbons. Kitsune's glasses slid off his face as he slowly lifted his head. The fox boy's ears twitched slightly, and his tail waved slowly in the wind. His red jacket was torn slightly at the right sleeve, making the sleeve slowly fall from its origin, revealing his yellow-furred right arm and purple-gloved right hand. His eyes locked onto the bewildered flower digimon, "My…my flowers…what have you done!"

"You tried to kill me," Kitsune said slowly, as his arms lowered "a digimon hybrid. But I'm not a hybrid, no. I'm the son of Renamon and Jenrya Lee! A son of two parents, not _a mistake._ Now die!" He jumped up right in front of the digimon's face, "Fox Leaf Arrowhead!" He put his hands together at the thumbs. In an instant, several shards of ice formed in front of his hands. At point blank range, he unleashed a flurry of sharp ice shards, piercing Blossomon's face. Kitsune landed and snapped his fingers, causing every single shard to explode, forcing the flower digimon to reel back. Kitsune jumped again, "I will never let scum like you ever hurt my family and friends again!" His hand began to glow a bluish aura. He stabbed his glowing hand into the face of the Blossomon, and immediately turned his clawed hand and slashed up, causing it to delete and dissipate into the air. He landed again, and panted slightly.

"Incredible." Takato watched in awe as Kitsune stood up straight and walked over to his glasses.

"Whoa," Kenta muttered. Kitsune looked at his glasses and polished them on his torn jacket.

"Looks like he got his fighting ability from his mom's side." Hirokazu smirked. The young Lee walked over to Renamon to see if she was okay, "Mom?" He helped his mother to her hind paws, "did I fight well?"

Renamon smirked and nodded, "Yes, you did. Son." Kitsune helped his mother walk to the others, where he was greeted with compliments on his fighting, and they all began on their way back to the Matsuda Bakery.

Kitsune looked back at the dissipated fog, 'fighting. I said to myself I wouldn't fight again after that day. But looks like I have a reason to fight…'

* * *

In the shadows of the park stood a big burley figure. He reached into his cargo pocket and pulled out a radio of some sort, "it's closed here." 

"By them?"

"Yeah. I'll follow." The radio conversation ended quickly. He lowered his big floppy ear and was about to follow Kitsune and the others, but was stopped by the voice again.

"Forget them, return back, now."

* * *

A/N: Whee, Kitsune-action goodness . I'd like to point out that Fox-Leaf Arrowhead (aka Diamond Storm) doesn't usually explode like a bomb like I wrote, but it's one of Kitsune's abilities. 

Now, I'd like to clear up one of my reviewer's questions. Keishinko and Atsuiko were indeed born 16 years ago just like Kitsune was. Like I explained in the prequel of this story Mating Season (which can be found on both my website or on sorry readers, its NC-17). This means that Keishinko, Atsuiko, and Kitsune were born when their parents were teens. And Keishinko's "biological" father is actually Leomon, who, just like in the TV Tamers series, died before she was born. Alice became pregnant with Atsuiko just before Dobermon gave his powers to the Tamers (in the TV Tamers universe, which is the same in this universe), so he died before she was born as well.

It is a bit difficult to understand this story if you haven't read Mating Season, but I will gladly answer any questions, just like that one. Thanks again, and please R&R as usual. If you got questions, comments, or anything, just leave a review or email me at Till next week!

Dexstrosity the LdOFDestruction


	7. Chapter 7: Heir to the Throne

A/N: Sorry, I'm a bit late this week again…college stuff. Just a little warning for the younger audience, there is some swearing (nothing ridiculously major though) and a little bloodshed, but very little. Enjoy.

Chapter 7: Heir to the Throne

"Dad, there!" Keishinko shouted as she, her father Ryo, and Ryo's partner Monodramon rode through the city in Ryo's white sedan, "I see that fog!" the female Akiyama pointed over to a subway entrance, with several people running out of it in fear. Ryo came to a screeching halt, 'dad better learn how to drive.' Keishinko thought to herself as she unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car with her father not far behind. "Keishinko, are you ready?" Keishinko nodded, not taking her eyes off the massive fog in front of her, "you know, this won't be easy…"

"Oh come on dad," she sighed and ran straight into the fog without another word. Ryo sighed and shook his head. "That's what I always liked about her." Monodramon commented, "let's go, we gotta make sure she doesn't get hurt right?" Ryo nodded and ran in right after his partner and daughter. He found himself in front of a staircase, leading down to a dark tunnel. Without hesitation, he ran down the stairs in pursuit of his daughter.

Keishinko finally made it down the large flight of stairs and stood face-to-face with complete darkness. She walked forward slowly, but stopped suddenly when she heard laughing from the darkness. She swallowed hard, building up the courage she needed to face the monsters that hid in the dark. Slowly, she stepped closer to the shadows. The lion hybrid inched in clandestine, making sure that her enemies did not sense her. 'All right, I can do this,' she told herself, 'this won't be too hard.' She stood on the barrier between the shadows and the light, wound her fist behind her, and was about to swing until…

"Boo!" a white ghost popped out of nowhere. "Gah!" Keishinko reeled back in surprise. The ghost started to laugh uncontrollably. "What in the world…?"

"Bakemon," Ryo said from behind, "a ghost digimon known to play tricks on everyone. Keish, I tried to warn you, you have to be more careful…"

"Hold up dad," she stopped her father in between speaking, "I think there's more of those things." Before long, several other Bakemon came flying out of the tunnel. "Oh crap," Keishinko muttered, "what do I do?"

"Hey, Keish, you gotta fight back!" Monodramon yelled from behind, "Hey Ryo, I have to help her…"

"Hold on…" Ryo said, "Keish, its about time you learn how to fight properly, especially since your mom isn't around to stop you from fighting this time. First, concentrate. Don't let them distract you!"

"What?" Keishinko said as she continued to survey the many enemies flying around her, "you really want me to fight by myself?"

"Yes," Ryo said again, "now concentrate. Mono can't really fight because he cannot evolve, so it's all up to you." The younger Akiyama nodded and stopped fidgeting, standing completely still. 'Concentrate,' the half digital lion girl told herself, 'just how Kitsune meditates.' She stood there, still not moving much. The Bakemon continued to fly around, screeching and laughing. One flew directly at her, but Keishinko turned and threw her fist right into it, letting out a battle cry.

"Whoa," she said to herself as she saw the Bakemon burst into pieces of data and dissipated. She looked at her fist, which at the time had a slight glow of orange, "what is this…?"

The elder Akiyama smirked, "That is your power, my daughter. You have an incredible fighting ability." Keishinko turned to her father and his partner with a bewildered look on her face. "I'll tell you more later, we have to take care of the rest of these Bakemon! Mono, its time." Monodramon nodded and jumped up and drove his fist into another ghost, "Beat Knuckle!" His drill fist dug straight through the sheet, turning another ghost digimon into bits of data. "That's how it's done Keish!" the gray, one-horned digimon smirked, "now let's see how many of these things we can delete. Winner doesn't have to clean for a week!" Keishinko laughed, "You're on, Mono!"

Ryo watched as his daughter and partner worked together to fight off the invading digimon. 'I knew she could fight well,' The father spoke, 'just a matter of time until Juri would actually let her fight.' He surveyed the battleground, and it was perfect for those Bakemon: dark, quiet, and creepy. Ryo began to count how many Bakemon were left, 'lot of work to do here, 42 left.' "Hey, guys, there's 42 more."

"That's another one for me!" Monodramon punched through another feeble ghost digimon, "better catch up Keish!"

"Just getting warmed up!" Keishinko smirked as her fists glow with a golden aura. He punched through another Bakemon. "Seven down!" She turned and was blindsided by a Bakemon's Hell's Hand attack. She fell to the floor. Monodramon turned to try to help her, but was attacked by two other Bakemon. "Keishinko! Monodramon!" Ryo yelled, "are you guys alright?" He ran over to the two fallen allies. As he tended to his digimon, three more Bakemon came flying at him. "Dad!" Keishinko got up and quickly ran at the three Bakemon. Before they could hit the Tamer, she tackled all three of them, sending them to the ground temporarily. "Dad, better get Mono out of here, I'll…" before she could finish; more Bakemon attacked the hybrid, sending her crashing to the tile floor of the subway station.

"Keishinko!" Ryo yelled again, "no, we have to get out of here! They're too strong!" Keishinko slowly pulled herself up, "no…I'll beat all of them…" Before she could stand up, the Bakemon tackled her again. "Its no use," Ryo yelled at his only daughter, "we have to go! Now let's go…" Keishinko motioned to her father not to come closer, "No dad!" her eyes were burning with desire, "you wanted me to fight! I'll fight!" She got up again and turned to the dozens of Bakemon staring at her, "I'll take all of them on!"

Ryo tried to stop her again, but it was too late. She ran head on into the crowd of Bakemon in an attempt to destroy as many as she could. She was able to delete two or three, but there were too many once again, and she went flying to the ground again. "I…won't lose!" She tried again, but fell down. "Keishinko!" Ryo yelled again, but it was too late. The gang of ghost digimon came flying full speed, ready for the kill.

"Kill the hybrid!" the Bakemon group shouted as a group. Ryo's eyes bulged in a fearful surprise, 'how did they know what she was? Do they know in the Digital World?'

"Not if I can help it." A voice said from the staircase. Ryo turned to see who said that. The Legendary Tamer saw a silhouette of huge black wings and a woman standing right in front of them. "Devidramon! Blow them all back!" The wings behind swooshed down, creating a huge gust of wind, sending the flying sheets attacking the hybrid back.

"Karen!" Ryo's exclaimed, "Where have you been?"

"We'll talk later," she stepped out of the shadows. Now Ryo saw her in full view. She still had her short brown hair, and wore a turtleneck sweater and a knee length skirt, "we have to save your daughter first. Devidramon, let's go!" The huge demon dragon digimon grunted in agreement and flew into battle. "Crimson Nail!"

Red laser-like nails flew through the air, piercing ten Bakemon, deleting them instantly. As the demonic dragon continued his fight to protect the injured hybrid, the injured hybrid laid silent, watching the whole siege from the cold, dark floor. 'I…I'm losing,' she thought, with her eyes half open, 'Dad told me I had to fight…I know I can fight…' She slowly pushed herself up with the little strength she regained.

"Keishinko!" Ryo said again as he ran over to his daughter, "it's okay, Devidramon and Karen are…"

"You told me to fight," the younger Akiyama said, staring at her father, "I'll be damned if I don't finish this fight by myself." She slowly walked towards the fighting black dragon, "hey, Devidramon, let me take care of this." Devidramon slowly turned around and saw the hybrid. He looked over to his own tamer. Karen looked over at Keishinko, and then to her digimon, nodding. Devidramon left to stand by his tamer while the hybrid stood up against the several ghost digimon. "I'll kill every single one of you."

"Kill the hybrid!" the Bakemon chanted sadistically, "Kill the hybrid!"

"Oh shut up!" Keishinko ran straight to the remaining Bakemon and punched through them with her glowing fists. Immediately, two more went up in data. "Die!" She yelled passionately as she continued to fight, deleting a total of five more.

"Twenty more," Ryo muttered, "there's still too many…"

"Your daughter is incredible," Karen said, "keep faith in her. She can do it."

Keishinko breathed hard, 'damn it, there's more of them…' The darkness surrounded her as she squinted to focus the other Bakemon she had to defeat, 'I have to kill all of these things!' She ran forward again and tried to take out more, but five, ten, fifteen, twenty of them came at her all at once, sending her crashing on the ground. She coughed up crimson saliva as she lay on the floor.

"Keishinko…!" Ryo was about to run over to her, but Karen kept him at bay.

"If I'm not mistaken, you told her to fight," Karen said simply, "if you pull her out now, you'll scar her pride, something very important to her."

"But she'll die!" the father yelled, "I have to stop her!"

"Watch." Karen said, "She's strong enough to fight on her own. If Keishinko is about to die, I'll send Devidramon in. Trust me, she'll be fine." Ryo nodded and stood back to see his own daughter struggle to get up.

"Damn you stupid ghosts…" Keishinko coughed, "I won't lose. My father told me to fight, and I won't let him down. I'll take all of you out now!" With the last words, her fists grew brighter than before, and her eyes became a brighter brown than ever before. "Now, you will pay for trying to get into our world." She ran towards the crowd of digimon again and suddenly stopped, her fists catching up with her body, creating a huge wave of energy, "Fist of the Beast Heir!" the wave ripped through the Bakemon like they were paper, until only one was left, "what the hell! I thought I killed all of you!"

"So, the hybrid is stronger than I thought," the Bakemon laugh maniacally, "I need to do something drastic!" the sheet glowed, and evolved into a new digimon. What floated in front of the fatigued hybrid was another type of ghost, with a red cape and a gray cloth covering its mysterious body, "now I will kill you and turn you into a ghost! Death Sentence!" The new ghost digimon raised its scythe high. Keishinko barely got out of the way, avoiding the attack by a few inches. "Why don't you die?"

"A Phantomon!" Ryo said, "Keishinko, be careful, Phantomon is an Ultimate level digimon, its stronger!"

"I hate these things already…" Keishinko got up and was ready to attack again, staring straight at the digimon.

"I will kill you on behalf of the Digital World!" Phantomon said as it rushed in to try to attack, "Soul Chopper!" the scythe was glowing as it barely missed the female hybrid. "Now I got you!" Keishinko supported her weight on her arms as she kicked the Phantomon, sending the high-level ghost flying into the wall. She rushed in before it could recover and suddenly stopped again, "Fist of the Beast Heir!" the wave came flying out of her fist again.

"No!" The Phantomon shrieked as the energy from the attack deleted his own existence, "deleted, by…a hybrid!" the being disintegrated into the air. Keishinko stood in front of the wall, panting. "You better be the last of these things…" She stood up straight and turned. The hybrid began to walk over to the two tamers and digimon before she fell over.

Ryo ran over to his collapsed daughter. Karen watched from afar, "it's been a while since I've seen the others," she spoke to Devidramon, "looks like his daughter is growing up better than I expected." Devidramon nodded, "reminds me of that one girl I've met before." She began to walk towards Ryo's general direction, "Let's go meet Ryo's daughter." Karen walked over to Ryo and Keishinko, Keishinko leaning against her father for support.

"You okay Keishinko?" Karen smiled at the injured teen, "you can really fight well."

"Thanks," Keishinko sighed, "but that was my first time fighting. I really don't know how to fight." She turned to her father, "how's Mono?"

"Sleeping, but he'll be fine." Ryo informed Keishinko, "I'm more concerned about you, you were almost killed. Now I understand why your mother doesn't want you to fight…"

"Give me a break," Keishinko shook her head, "it was my first fight! What do you expect? I'm supposed to destroy 60 or 70 digimon by myself? Besides, you're the one who sent me out there in the first place!" Karen sweat dropped as she watched the daughter and father argue.

"Look," Karen interrupted the two Akiyamas, "I think the field here is closed so, lets get out of here." Karen turned and began walking back to the surface.

"One question," Keishinko said before they left the dark subway, "who are you?" Karen turned around and smiled at the hybrid again. "I'm an old family friend. Just call me Karen."

"Well, okay," Keishinko said, as she wobbled to stand by herself, "thanks for helping me out there Karen. I would have been dead without you." She nodded, "no problem, but I'm a bit concerned, Devidramon was slightly weaker out there…"

"It's due to the field," Ryo answered, "more on that later, we have to meet the others to make sure everything is sealed. We'll talk on the way back to the bakery." With the final words, the Tamer and his daughter, and the other tamer walked up the stairs out into the open, back to the Matsuda Bakery.

* * *

"Closed," a figure still in the subway reported into a radio. The being tipped its hat, "They have defeated the several Bakemon." 

"Really…"

"I'll go after them…"

"No," the voice on the radio stopped them, "report back here. We have one more subject to research…"

* * *

A/N: Just want to point out that Karen is an original character from Mating Season (which again is the prequel of Hybrid Generations). Not much is shown about her in this chapter, but more info on her will become evident as the chapters continue. 

About Keishinko's attacks and attack pattern: just like Kitsune, her attacks differ from their respective root attacks. In this case, her version of "Fist of the Beast King" (which is Leomon's attack) is continuous when she uses it. "Fist of the Beast Heir" (which is what Keishinko instinctively yelled) is much more similar to "Fist of the Beast King" as it is a projectile. The name was chosen simply because it fits her much better, and again, she isn't necessarily like her "biological" digimon father.

Please R&R, and again I hope you enjoy this story, I do work hard on it.

Dexstrosity the LdOFDestruction


	8. Chapter 8: Shrouded in Darkness

Chapter 8: Shrouded in Darkness

"Petit Twister!" Terriermon cried as a green whirling tornado came smashing against a Child level Gazimon, sending it screeching back. "What the…? I thought that would have done it!" Terriermon landed to see the three Gazimon laughing like a bunch of hyenas. "What are all of you laughing at you dirty digi-dogs!" Terriermon ran towards the Child level digimon trio again, "Petit Twister!" The tornado hit one Gazimon, sending it going back again, "Blazing Fire!" Terriermon blew some fireballs at the Gazimon, finally deleting one of the digimon.

"Good job Terriermon!" Jenrya encouraged, "keep it up!" He turned his head at a slight angle to the hybrid standing behind him. She realized she was being looked at and immediately avoided eye contact and stared at the ground, "It's okay Atsuiko, if you want to fight, you can, but if you don't want to, I understand. It's your decision."

"Y…yes." Atsuiko said timidly, "I'm really sorry…" she said quickly.

"Don't worry about it," the older Lee turned and smiled at the hybrid, "Terriermon is doing a fine job right now." Atsuiko nodded again, "Okay…"

The young McCoy watched as the tamer and digimon duo fought hard to protect the Real World, 'I…I don't want to fight…' Atsuiko thought to herself, 'I cannot fight, or…' Atsuiko looked at her hands. 'W…why am I like this?' She began to think of what happened earlier.

"Let's go Atsuiko!" Lee said as she saw her friends went to fight in different parts of the city. "We have to protect the Matsuda Bakery and protect other people. Don't worry, everything will be fine." The reassuring smile from the adult told Atsuiko that it would be fine. She nodded and followed the parent of her fox hybrid friend. 

_Jenrya, with Terriermon resting on his head, walked calmly with Atsuiko right beside him, "so, how has your mother been?" Jenrya asked with a friendly tone. "She's doing fine," Atsuiko answered, "we're doing fine with Uncle Kenta and Uncle Hiro living with us."_

"_That's good to hear," Jenrya continued, "how about you, how do you like school?"_

"_I like it, but sometimes it becomes very difficult and complicated." The hybrid answered, "Overall, it is okay."_

"_That's different from Kitsune, isn't it Jen?" Terriermon commented. Jenrya nodded and laughed, before long Atsuiko began to laugh silently along with the Tamer. _

"_Did you know I knew your mother since she was 13?" Jenrya said. Atsuiko turned her attention to the adult Lee, "she helped save the world along with Uncle Takato, Auntie Ruki, and the others. It was her and your father…" Jenrya realized what he had said, " your father, he was brave and courageous. With the help of your mother, he helped save the world…"_

"_How did he?" Atsuiko quickly asked. She had fervor for learning about her father. Ever since she found out she had no father when she was younger, she always wanted to know about him. Who was he? How did he fall in love with mother? How brave was he? So many questions raced through her mind, and she completely forgot about the fact that her father was a Dobermon._

_Jenrya smiled fondly about the time they fought in the Real World, "He sacrificed so much to help us out, and he'll always be missed." Atsuiko listened in interest as she heard more and more about her father and his bravery, "I know you never had the chance to meet your father, but we all know that he's always watching you." The hybrid girl simply nodded and they continued to walk._

_Farther and farther the trio walked from the Bakery, each of their thoughts concentrating more and more. Atsuiko had thoughts about her father flying through her mind as she walked. By this time, her feet were moving, but she had no idea where they were taking her._

_On the other hand, the adult Digimon Tamer knew exactly where they were going, and his thoughts were sharp and only thinking about one thing: the safety of this world. 'How did they open? We're the only ones who can access the Digital World through the Real World. Or at least we were the only ones,' Jenrya thought as they continued to walk, 'this will be a huge step for Atsuiko. I didn't want her to learn how to fight this early, but I guess Kitsune, Keishinko, and Atsuiko had to learn some time.' He looked to his left at the teenage Digimon hybrid. 'I hope Atsuiko is willing to fight,' Jenrya thought as they continued to walk, 'of course I wouldn't blame her if she didn't want to fight. I was like her at one point…'_

"_Um, Lee-san?" Atsuiko got Jenrya's attention with her soft voice, "I'm sorry for asking, but where are we going?" Lee faced forward and pointed at a fog about a block away._

"_A digital field," he stopped for a moment, "I should be asking you this before we're there. Are you…okay with fighting?" Atsuiko stopped and slowly turned around and shook her head. Jenrya adjusted his glasses, "are you sure?"_

"_I...want to help," she said quickly, "I want to be like my father. I want to help everyone in any possible way I can."_

_Jenrya smiled, "he would be proud of you. Come on, we're almost there…" Before the three could begin walking again, a thick fog slowly ascended right above the trio. Jenrya looked around for any humans that may be in harms way, then turned his attention to the fog that lowered like a collapsing ceiling, "damn! Atsuiko, get ready!" Atsuiko looked around as her dark hair moved from one shoulder to another with each turn of her head, "We have company!" The female hybrid backed up so she was back to back with the adult, "w…what do I do?" Atsuiko asked._

"_Relax," Jenrya said, replacing his normal pair of eyeglasses with a pair of round, frameless sunglasses as the fog settled, "just wait until we know what we're up against. Terriermon." With the sound of his voice, the little dog digimon resting on the top of the Tamers head jumped off ready to fight. The hybrid, Tamer, and digimon peered around, looking for their enemy and before long they could hear a growling. Atsuiko tensed, 'I have to fight, I must be like father.'_

"_Get ready," Jenrya turned his head slightly and said to Atsuiko, "it's a Musyamon, a huge demon samurai digimon with a razor sharp sword…Keep your distance Atsuiko." Atsuiko nodded and accepted the advice given by the elder. "We have to stop this monster before it harms anyone."_

_Jenrya ran with his digimon toward the monster that waited in the fog. Atsuiko was about to stop them, but it was too late. Before long she could hear the sounds of battle as she cautiously moved toward the sound source. She stopped again, and tears slowly squeezed out of her eyes, 'No, I cannot fight…' she collapsed, with only her knees as support. Her mind was now in despair again, 'how could I be like Father if I cannot even fight or protect my close friends…?' _

_Terriermon went flying towards Atsuiko and crashed right in front of her, causing a terrified shriek from the scared hybrid. "Terriermon!" Lee yelled as he ran over to the fallen dog digimon. Right behind him was a huge samurai-looking monster with its sword in its hand. "Run Atsuiko!" Atsuiko stopped crying in fear as her grayish eyes stared at the monster that was in front of her. Jenrya scooped Terriermon up in his arms and tried to grab Atsuiko to get her to run, but Atsuiko stood there frozen._

"_So this is that wretched half beast." Musyamon scoffed, "I will kill you and become a hero of the Digital World!" He rushed in to attack, but out of nowhere a being tackled the girl, saving her from certain death. Atsuiko looked around trying to find out who or what saved her. "Atsuiko!" Jenrya yelled from behind, "R…?"_

"_Looks like I have to get a new suit." A female in a business stood up and patted down the jacket she wore, "Are you okay Atsuiko?"_

"_Ruki-san!" Atsuiko stood up and bowed, forgetting her fear for a moment, "thank you for saving me." Ruki turned, "we'll talk later. I think we have to take care of a little problem."_

"_I...I cannot fight though…"Atsuiko doubted herself again. Ruki looked the female hybrid straight into her eyes. Ruki's lavender eyes showed a look of reassurance, "I know Jenrya's been telling you its your decision, but listen, you must decide what is best for both the ones you love and the world. It's still your decision, so I'll leave it to you. But, make it quickly, because here that thing comes again! I'm sorry to leave you here, but good luck!" Ruki ran over to Jenrya and Atsuiko barely missed another slash._

"_That female human, she is like you and the rest of your kind!" the Musyamon growled, "pathetic! We digimon are the superior race! You, like the rest of the others will be destroyed!"_

'…_Decide what is best for both your loved ones and the world…' words ran through Atsuiko's mind, '…your father was very brave…' her mother's face passed through her mind with other thoughts. Kitsune and Keishinko came into view in her mind, '…we're all here for you Atsuiko…' Atsuiko began to cry. Musyamon came rushing again, and was successful. Atsuiko came crashing to the ground._

"_Atsuiko!" Jenrya yelled and was about to run over to her, but Ruki held her fellow Tamer back, "Ruki…?"_

"_It's her choice right now. You wanted her to fight anyway." Ruki folded her arms and watched, "she is no doubt as strong as her father, Dobermon. It will just take time for her to figure it out."_

"_But she'll…"_

"_Get killed? I doubt it," Ruki said confidently, "watch." Jenrya turned to watch, trying to constrain the feeling of running over to help her. To his surprise, he saw something that he never expected._

"_You plan to hurt my friends, family," Atsuiko continued to cry, whispering the haunting words, "and me." She raised her head and two bright red eyes shined in the place of the timid gray eyes of Atsuiko McCoy. Tears of fear were replaced with tears of anger. The terrible, powerful red that glowed from the female hybrids eyes showed her hidden ability. "I can't let you hurt anyone that I love!"_

"_I will not be stopped from my conquest!" Musyamon roared and rushed at the female again. A darkness shadowed over Atsuko and slowly began to spread, "Grau Realm!" Before long the darkness completely filled the general area where Atsuiko and Musyamon were fighting._

"_Where did she go?" Jenrya asked, almost frantically._

"_She's using her ability," Ruki said, with her arms still folded, "Dobermon never fought, but I knew his abilities. He's considered a nightmare soldier digimon according to the card game, which is the ability to use darkness as a power, one of the most powerful abilities a digimon could use. Dobermon never used his abilities, but Atsuiko is using it as a defense mechanism right now."_

_Inside the darkness was the Musyamon that was now stopped completely. "You vile wench!" The red eyes locked on the demon warrior digimon._

_"__You're in the form of a demon samurai," Atsuiko's voice had a different tone. What was once shyness and timidity was now replaced with dementia and intimidation, "Darkness, solemnity. All have been apart of my life. You should know all about that. But you have another aspect of darkness I never had, or wanted to use. Evil…"_

_"What are you saying? I will kill you…!" the demon digimon rushed toward the eyes again. The eyes opened wider, "Schwarz Strahl. Now return to the darkness we are both from!" A wave of darkness overtook the demon samurai, deleting him instantly. The darkness started to slowly disappear. Atsuiko was left standing in the middle of the street, panting loudly and arrhythmically. Ruki and Jenrya ran over to her. "W…what was I…?" she asked as she tried to catch her breath, "I…I don't want to be that…ever…I don't care if it is for the good of others. It…it hurts…" Jenrya was about to say something, but Ruki stopped him. "It's okay," Ruki put her hand on the traumatized girl's shoulder, "its your decision to use that power. I just wanted you to see how strong you really are. Lee and I will take care of the fighting if you don't want to." Atsuiko's breathing began to slow down. The tears from her eyes stopped and nodded. Her eyes were dilated from her own fear, but she was able to stand up and start walking once again._

Atsuiko shook her head trying to get the thoughts of what happened earlier out of her head. 'It felt like I was in a depression, but my depression took a form. The darkness all around me, the ability to control darkness…' She watched as Terriermon continued to battle. Ruki was standing right beside her, "Atsuiko, did you know your own power?" Atsuiko turned to the older female.

"No," she said quietly, "I fear my own power…"

"It doesn't have to be feared," Ruki turned to her, "its your power, something you can control. You cannot let your own power take control of you."

"But…" Atsuiko blushed a little, "I don't like that feeling. Its like…" She paused for a moment, "depression." Ruki was silent for a moment, and closed her eyes in thought. She turned to watch the battle once again.

"I understand," Ruki said. She put her hand on the teenager's shoulder, "but it's a fear, something that must be overcome. Just remember…" before she could finish her sentence Jenrya had Terriermon in his arms and was running towards the two females. "We have to run…" Jenrya said. Makino asked why, "There's too many of them. Terriermon won't survive more attacks than how many there are already." Ruki nodded, although her disapproval shined in her eyes. They began to turn and run, but Atsuiko stood there motionless, looking at the group of Gazimon. "Ruki-san, I would like to prove my courage. I want to prove I am like my father. Please let me fight these digimon."

"Are you sure?" Ruki asked.

"Yes," the young McCoy nodded, "I want to protect Terriermon and Lee-san, and you, and the rest of the world." She smiled. Ruki returned the smile. Jenrya nodded and turned to watch as Atsuiko walked silently and slowly towards the group.

The Gazimon continued to laugh maniacally. Atsuiko counted seven Gazimon and stood in front of all of them. They spotted the hybrid and rushed toward her. Atsuiko closed her eyes and lowered her head for a moment and looked up again. The same glow in her eyes reappeared again, "I will protect this world with Keishin-chan and Kitsu-kun! Grau Realm!" The field of darkness covered the plane again. Ruki and Jenrya watched as the darkness engulfed all of the Gazimon. A moment later, the field of darkness disappeared. Atsuiko stood there for a moment with her hands together. She opened her eyes and walked over to the two elder Tamers. "Ruki-san," she looked down for a moment and looked back up at the elders, "I can control it now."

Ruki, Atsuiko, and Jenrya, with Terriermon in his arms, began to walk back to the bakery. "Takato and the others should be back by now. And hopefully they're as successful as us right now."

"Good," Ruki sighed, "after a day like today, I come home to see a Digital Field less than a block away from the bakery? Damn it Jen, what the hell are you doing at that job of yours?" Jenrya sweat dropped, "uhm, well, it technically isn't my fault." Ruki shook her head as they continued to walk back.

"Both fields are clear here." A puff of smoke came from a being as a voice talked into a radio.

"All?"

"Yes. She is stronger than I thought. Very different than I interpreted…" a cigarette dropped to the ground and was immediately stomped on. "I shall take care of her." In the darkness was a single point of glowing red, but it disappeared a second later.

"Not yet…we must do a bit more research. Return now."

* * *

A/N: Seeing how I really don't have a clue how Dobermon really fights, I mixed Atsuiko's abilities with something similar to Cerberumon from Digimon Frontier (first episode). Considering that Cerberumon is a logical evolution of Dobermon (but not really official), I guess it fits well. 

Dexstrosity the LdOFDestruction


	9. Chapter 9: Aftermath

A/N: Been a while, hasn't it? Well, I'm proud to say I survived high school, but on to the point. In light of one reviewer explaining Dobermon/Cerebremon's attacks, it actually inspired me to alter the story a little. (Thanks to that reviewer, whoever that anonymous reviewer was). After a long time coming, here's the next chapter.

Chapter 9: Aftermath

The youth, as well as his other youthful coworkers watched the screen closely. Their focus was a pulsating target on the screen, and quietly, they waited for something to happen. Before long, the target died out of sight. The tension in the room eased up. The young Yamaki spun in his chair a few times.

"They're disappearing," Reiko Yamaki breathed a sigh of relief, "gods, that was really close."

"I'll say so," the young black man known as "Babel" took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "I'll never understand how Dad did this kind of work."

"Guys, we're getting a call from Tao," the young Indian female picked up the phone, "this is Kaju…" What followed was a short conversation. She hung up the phone and turned to her coworkers, "Tao said that we have to watch out for any more flare ups and to call him if there are any."

"Blake," Reiko turned his attention to Babel, "run a scan. Kaju, go and make sure everything is fine in the Digital World. You heard boss-man, we got to get back to work."

"No rest for the weary," Blake sighed as he put his glasses back on and began to scan the Greater West Shinjuku city area. Kaju went over to her computer and began to scan the alternate world. Yamaki looked around the office, "Kaju, Blake, did you guys ever have a digimon?" Blake looked over to his comrade.

"Nope," Blake answered as he turned back to his computer, "always wanted a digimon partner, especially when Dad would talk about them. But, I never got one."

Kaju turned, "at one point I did," she sighed, "but she soon disappeared after the D-Reaper thing." Yamaki and Blake were quiet. They have never known about Kaju's past. All they knew was that her mother worked with both of their fathers at one point, at the exact same job they were doing right now. "I remember her, she was a Aluramon…"

"Aluramon?" Reiko asked, "the species of plant digimon with the flower on its head…"

"You know how even the smartest people in the world don't even know everything about our own world?" Kaju asked, and was given an answer in the form of a nod, "well, it's the same with that world. Not everything is known; most of it is even unknown to the digimon itself. Aluramon was just one kind of variation of plant type digimon. Like humans and monkeys, there are different evolution routes of digimon." Reiko decided to drop the subject after Kaju's story. He didn't know that she was that personal with digimon, nor did he have any knowledge about the Digital World.

"Everything's clear at home," Blake reported. Kaju turned to her screen again and reported the same thing. Reiko looked around, "alright guys, let's relax for right now. Lee-san will call us when something's up. Oh, and good job today."

Clamors and noise echoed from the small bakery during the midnight hours of the eventful day. The Matsuda Bakery was unanimously decided as the "unofficial base," which Takato did not mind much, but they did not take into account the size of the small business space.

"Does anyone know what the hell is happening?" Ruki looked around the now crowded Matsuda bakery. All of them turned to Jenrya. The longhaired Lee sweat dropped and a dumbfounded chuckle came out of his mouth, "well you see, there's been fields opening around the city again…"

"We know that," Ruki said impatiently, "I thought we got rid of them after that whole D-Reaper thing 17 years ago."

"Calm down wildcat," Ryo quipped. The red-head sent a glare toward the Legendary Tamer, "we honestly don't know who is opening these things, and besides its not like we still want to battle. All of our digimon cannot perform as well as they used to."

"Speak for your own digimon," Renamon said.

"Actually, its with all the digimon, you included dear," Jenrya said, "some kind of strange difference in data. Its like they're almost outdated."

"That explains what happened earlier," Ryo commented, "but one thing I don't understand is if Renamon and the others are considered "outdated data," then how is Kitsune and the others really strong if they have the same data as our digimon?"

Jenrya put his hand on his chin in thought, "I haven't figured that out yet. It is a strange phenomenon. Atsuiko could call up darkness…"

"Keishinko was able to use her Leomon's 'Fist of the Beast King' and even sustain it," Karen added.

"And Kitsune was able to actually use his speed and 'Fox Leaf Arrowhead' without any problems." Takato added to the conversation. Jenrya looked into the other room where the hybrids were resting with Hirokazu and Kenta as well as the other digimon. "At least they were somewhat older when they started fighting," Jenrya sighed, "not 13 like the rest of us."

"Jen, we all know how you feel about fighting," Ruki placed a hand on Jenrya's shoulder, "but they're all strong enough to fight. We all saw how each of them fought. If anything, they were stronger than we were when we fought the D-Reaper." The elder Lee nodded.

"Back to the topic, who would open those Digital gates?" Jenrya walked back to the others.

"Maybe it's the digimon in the Digital World. You did say that they are different data now. Maybe they got an attitude change too." Karen suggested, "I mean, you did say that one of the Gods did hate humans right?"

"Zhuqiaomon wouldn't do something this extreme," Jenrya looked over to Karen, "he respects us now because we helped save their world. Besides, the other Gods wouldn't let him do something like that."

"So if it can't be digimon," Takato questioned, "then would it be human cause?"

"Possibly, but I don't know of any technology that could break two firewalls like that, causing a wormhole in essentially two different dimensions." Ryo said.

"Humans…" Jenrya began to think, "I think we may be dealing with a force that even my dad and the Wild Bunch couldn't even go up against." Jenrya pulled out his cell phone. "Reiko-kun, I may have an idea where the wild ones have been coming from…" silence for a moment, "Yes. So you thought so too. Yeah, it's a shame, but we have to stop it." He hung up the phone. "Everyone," he looked around at every person in the bakery: Karen, Ruki alongside with Takato, and Ryo, "looks like we may have to fight a former foe."

Keishinko leaned back in the recliner of the living room of the Matsuda home. "Damn, those digimon are tougher than I thought," Keishinko said as she checked the bandages around her waist and her head, "I almost died a few times today."

"You're telling me," Kitsune looked down at his torn clothing, "I liked this shirt."

"Small sacrifice for your life, I think," Hirokazu said to the hybrid, "besides, you kicked some major butt out there."

"Yeah, I didn't know you were so fast and strong Kitsune," Kenta praised, "all that training with your mom?" Kitsune smiled and nodded. He took off his glasses and polished it on his torn shirt. "Still, it was close." He looked over to Atsuiko, who was quiet and has never said anything since all of them met up. 'Wonder how Atsuiko felt. She never ever wants to fight, and she doesn't seem to be a person to fight.'

"Atsuiko," Keishinko got the attention of the dark-haired hybrid, "how did you do?"

"Um," Atsuiko was hesitant to answer, "I…did okay." She turned her attention to the floor to try to avoid eye contact, and her face was flushed red. Kitsune and Keishinko looked at her strangely, "you fought, Atsuiko?" Keishinko asked. She nodded, seemingly in shame. "Awesome! Damn, I missed it!" Keishinko got up and literally pounced on her long-time friend, "Atsu, you gotta show me how you fought."

"Um, thanks Keishin-chan," Atsuiko sweat dropped, "but I'd rather not fight…"

"I'm kind of curious how you fought too," Kitsune smiled, "honestly, I thought you didn't want to fight, so I thought you wouldn't."

"Ruki-san taught me that I have to do what I have to sometimes." Atsuiko smiled, "I would rather not fight all the time, only if I have to…" At that moment, what seemed like a shock jolted through Atsuiko's head. She put her hand on her head in pain. 'Wh…what is this?' She thought as a picture of herself in inverted black and white flashed through her mind. But it wasn't the same timid face that was the true Atsuiko, but one of fangs and anger contorting her normally shy face.

"Atsuiko?" Keishinko backed up to let her breathe, "are you okay?"

The image of terror disappeared, and her migraine-like headache suddenly disappeared as well. Not wanting to upset or worry her friends, she lied, "Oh, yes, I'm fine Keishin-chan." She looked over to Kitsune, "really, I'm fine."

Kitsune, not satisfied with the excuse, decided to continue anyway. "Well, as long as we don't have to fight for a while," Kitsune sighed, "Thank the gods it's the weekend…"

"Speak for yourself," Keishinko moved her hair out of her face with her bruised hand, "I want to fight again. Beat more digimon!"

"Not with all those bruises," Kenta intervened, "you three are probably the only ones who can fight all those digimon now. Marineangemon, Guardromon, and the others might not be able to fight as well as they used to. We saw what happened when Guilmon and Renamon tried to fight."

All three hybrids nodded. Each hybrid has seen the difficulties the original partners and Tamers had with fighting digimon and they all had their first battle experiences. "Question," Keishinko raised her hand, "does anyone know where these digimon came from?"

"The Digital World," Hirokazu answered, "but how they got here is a different story. That's Kit's dad's job."

'I knew dad's job was more in depth than I though,' Kitsune thought as he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, 'I didn't know it involved two worlds though.' "Where is the Digital World?"

"We don't really know, but we did go there a while back," Kenta said, thinking about the past, "but after that thing when your parents were 13, we really never saw it again."

"How'd you get in?" Keishinko sat back down on the recliner, her tail sticking out from the side, "oww, damn bruises…"

"Though the park, but it kind of disappeared and has not been there for a while," Kitagawa said, "I wonder, if all these fields are open again, it may be a possibility that the one we're talking about is open again. But, I don't know if that park still exists."

"Which park?" Kitsune asked.

"Central Shinjuku Park. It was in the center of the city." Kenta got up and walked to the window, "I know the playground is still there, but I'm not sure about the rest of it, like the tool shed it was originally in." He looked over to Hirokazu, "Hirokazu, do you remember if it was still there?"

"The penguin is," Hirokazu folded his arms, "but looks like there were a bunch of trees or something that took the place of Guilmon's home." Hirokazu looked around at the hybrids around him. Keishinko sat up, Kitsune was attentive, and Atsuiko's focus was now completely on the two elders. "It should still be there."

"Wait," the Leomon Hybrid looked at Hirokazu and Kenta, "you aren't planning on actually going back to the Digital World are you?"

Kenta shook his head, "no, not at all. But with the situation at hand, I wouldn't be surprised if it does lead us to that place. I'm a bit concerned that the gate in that area may be a result of all of this." He adjusted his glasses slightly, "Of course, me and Hirokazu didn't do much when your parents saved the world." He laughed, "We were kind of clean up duty. Jen, Takato, Ruki, and Ryo did most of the heroic stuff."

"Where is this Gate thing again?" Kitsune asked.

"In Central Shinjuku Park." Kenta answered, "Now don't go looking for it Kit. One: The Digital World is extremely dangerous. We were just lucky that we met Jijimon and Babamon and they actually took care of us when we had no digimon. And two: your dad and mom would kill me if they found out we told you where the Gate was."

"I don't intend to." Kitsune promised, "I'd rather use the weekend to rest and relax than to go on some crazy adventure. Today was enough adventure and action for a few weeks actually."

"I think my house is still there," Guilmon said from behind the couch.

"Guilmon," Kitsune turned to the red and black-striped dinosaur, "that old tool shed?"

The digimon nodded, "I hid something very important there. More important than anything I have ever hid before. Even more important than bread."

"What would that be?" Keishinko asked.

"It's a secret," Guilmon whispered to everyone in the room, "but it's very important. The Gods gave it to me to protect, so I put it somewhere very secret."

"The Gods…?" Everyone in the room said in unison. Now there were questions that had to be asked. 'First, all these digimon attack, and now…'

"Guilmon, what are you talking about this time?" Takato asked from the doorway. Guilmon smiled and walked over to his Tamer. "I was telling everyone about my special thing." Takato's eyes narrowed. Ruki looked away from her husband. Renamon looked over to Guilmon, and then to Takato. Ryo immediately looked to Takato, then to Jenrya.

"Special thing?" Jenrya asked, "What is this all about?"

Takato laughed, "It's just something I gave Guilmon a while back. You know, after we defeated the D-Reaper."

"But…" Guilmon was about to correct him, but was cut off again by his Tamer.

"Well, looks like everything was straightened out and all three of you look like you got some rest." Takato smiled, "It's getting pretty late, you should all head home and get some sleep." Slowly, everyone began to leave the Matsuda Bakery. Jenrya was the last one to leave, but stopped at the door and turned to Takato, "Takato, I know we all have all own lives now, but secrets, especially when something like this happens, should be told." Takato stood there silently. Jenrya sighed, "Oh, well, we'll see you tomorrow. Good night, Takato, Ruki."

Kitsune began to walk home with his mother while his father unlocked the door to his car. "Dad…?" Kitsune started. The elder Lee looked over to his son, "what is it?"

"Takato-san," Kitsune started again. Jenrya cut him off, "don't worry about it Kitsune. It was just something important to Takato that he gave to Guilmon 17 years ago, one year before you were born." The longhaired Lee smiled to his son, got into his car, and drove home.

"I wouldn't worry about what Takato and Guilmon are doing or what they did." Renamon told her son, "all of us have secrets, and Takato and Guilmon have their own. Now let's go home." Kitsune nodded, and with the blink of an eye, the mother and son were gone.

---

"I can't believe that came up," Ruki sighed, "I never wanted to hear about it again."

"Don't worry," Takato said as he locked the back door of the Bakery, "it's all taken care of. We had it for this long, and what happened tonight won't put it in danger." Ruki shook her head as she took off unbuttoned the top collar button.

"I hope you're right."

A/N: Just one thing to say. I know there was a "schedule," but it was never followed, nor does it intend to be followed. I have no structured plan on how I write. I apologize, but the world is a crazy place, and I just live in it.

---Dexstrosity the LdOFDestruction


	10. Chapter 10: Higura

Chapter 10: Higura

"The city, it's so beautiful at night."

"Higura-sama," a large being walked into the double doors, "you ordered us to return?" The being in front of the large window did not move, "Seira and Genesis are on their way up here."

"Terry," the being turned. Long, blond hair turned with the head of the being. A feminine face stared at the burly human, "how did you like wandering the city, watching the others?"

"Um, excuse me?" the one named Terry asked, slightly bewildered by the strange question, "it was okay, I guess."

The woman in front of him smiled, "good. A boy at your age should be able to see this magnificent city. Have you ever walked around like you did today?" Terry shook his head, "why not?"

"Well, Johnson-san and the others won't usually let me. And Kisho-san and Ariyama-san will not let the others go either. Like they won't let Seira and Genesis go out. We're usually in here."

"That's a pity," she said sympathetically, "I should let you go out more." Before the conversation continued, two more walked into the well-lit room. "Higura-sama, we have returned." A female with a hat on reported.

"I believe that we could have attacked them and won," a boy beside her said, "they do not seem that hard to defeat."

"You three accomplished what I wanted you to," the longhaired female known as "Higura," spoke, "we completed our research, and you three were able to walk around this beautiful city." The three looked at each other in confusion. "Terry, you're keeping your ears clean." she walked up to the largest of beings. She smiled and touched his long, floppy ear, tickling him, but tried hard to keep his laughter contained. "Seira, you're looking beautiful today." The younger female tipped her hat and thanked her superior for the compliment. Seira adjusted the mask on her face. "And Genesis, you're looking healthier today." Genesis looked at the floor with his one eye. His other "eye" glowed red, but he nodded and accepted the compliment.

"You should all get some rest now. It's been a long day. Good night." The superior smiled at them and turned to stare out the window once again. The three walked out of the room, a bit confused with the compliments.

* * *

"Higura is a bit strange," Terry said as he walked down the hall with the two others. He looked down from his tall height to his colleagues, who were considerably shorter, "she always does something like that when we talk to her." 

"Yes," Seira nodded as she adjusted her hat, "but she is just showing her care for us. Although it does seem very strange."

"Higura-sama is our superior," Genesis spoke, "nothing more. Not a caretaker, not a friend, she's just there to give out orders."

Before long, the trio found themselves in front of a large door in the dimmed hall. There was not a sound as they stood in front of the looming door. Genesis reached over to the sidewall and punched in a numerical code. Within a matter of seconds, the door slid up. Inside was a modern marvel, a giant room with gadgets of any kind. Millions of test tubes lied dormant on tables, beakers filled with strange chemicals, glass boxes filled with strange pieces of an unknown substance floated within the space, and three scientists stood around as each teenager went over to their respective "caretakers."

"Finally home," Terry exclaimed as he walked over to a tall, brown-haired white man, "Hey Johnson-san." The scientist turned around and smiled at the sight of the large teen.

"Hello Terry," his smile was warm, yet unconvincing, "how was your mission?"

"Great," Terry nodded, "I finally saw those other ones…"

"I see," the smile on the older man's face faded, "well, don't worry, they can't hurt you. Now let's check you up so you don't have any problems." Terry sat down on a stool as the scientist placed some pads and wires on his face, arms, chest, and legs. "Don't worry Terry," the scientist reassured the teen, "standard procedure." He went over to the computer.

"Seira," a female scientist stood in front of the cloaked girl, "you're doing okay?" Seira nodded. The shorthaired scientist, dressed in a lab coat buttoned up completely, smiled, "good to hear. What do you think of the others you've observed tonight?"

"Weak," Seira took off her pointed hat, "I think we could have destroyed them easily." She sat in front of the scientist.

"I wouldn't be so hasty," the scientist stood behind her subject, "they may be as strong as you. We don't know yet. We don't want to lose you guys."

"Heh," the teen shook her head, and her rough, blond hair moved around, "that's considerate Kisho-san." Kisho smiled as she connected the pads to the teen in front of her. "Relax Seira," Kisho told her, "and put your scepter down." Seira nodded as she unbuckled her facemask and put down her staff.

Genesis walked up to the third scientist, "Ariyama-san," his face remained stoic as he reached into his pocket. The dark-haired young female scientist turned, "Genesis," her face was stoic as well, "that hybrid you watched. What do you think?"

The half-metallic faced young man pulled out a small box from his pocket and a golden lighter from the other, "Interesting," he pulled out a small cylinder from the box and placed it in between his lips, "I wouldn't mind seeing her again." The golden lighter turned on, creating a small flame. The energy transferred from the lighter to the cigarette and the smoke filled the space in front of his face.

"You know," Ariyama turned and grabbed the pads and wires, "that smoking you do is bad for your health."

"Does it even matter?" Genesis puffed. "Terry, Seira, and myself are just artificial right? We're just made up of data and a tinge of matter." Ariyama remained silent, "Lung disease, throat cancer, emphysema…" he took another puff, "all of those "problems" can just be repaired by data."

"Don't be so sure of that," Ariyama coughed, "just put out that cigarette and lets get the scanning started."

"Will this mean I will die by one of those diseases?" Genesis asked as he dug the heated tip of the cigarette into the table. Ariyama remained silent. "I'm half human, half mechanical digimon. Smoking is nothing. That's the way you made me."

"Just because we "made" you doesn't mean we don't care what happens to you," Ariyama said simply, "Johnson-san, Kisho-san, and myself care about every single one of you. We take care of you like you are our children…"

"Whatever," Genesis stated, "let's get this systems scan done so I can go to sleep." Ariyama nodded and began to place the pads on the hybrid teen. Ariyama stood back with her colleagues Kisho and Johnson. She observed her "son" as he sat on the stool waiting silently for his daily treatment to begin.

"Genesis is making me a bit nervous," Ariyama placed a hand on her chin, "he smokes all the time, and I'm afraid that may affect his mind as well as body."

"Yes," Johnson agreed, "but it is his decision, and he can be beneficial to the experimental parts they are part of." Kisho looked over to Seira, who was now sitting with her arms folded. The shorthaired scientist looked on, almost gleaming with pride. 'Poor Seira,' she thought, 'to be a hybrid of a digimon that always hides their face…'

"How about Terry?" Kisho turned her attention to her coworker, "How is he doing?"

"Better than I thought," Johnson spoke as he scribbled down something onto a clipboard, "his muscle strength is that of a digimon, but he has a figure of a human." All three scientists looked on as the three hybrids sat obediently on the stools, waiting for the systems scan to finish. Before long, the scan stopped. Seira, Terry, and Genesis were disconnected and were told that they could go to bed now. Each teen nodded and walked to their shared room.

* * *

They all entered the hallway in which they first entered the lab, and turned right to a plain-looking door. Terry turned to doorknob, opening the dormitory. Inside was a large room consisting of three beds, one against the back wall and two against the right wall, a closet by the bed in the back, a refrigerator by another door, which led to a bathroom, a television right beside the main door which in turn was connected to two large speakers and a few game systems, and to complete the room was a table and chairs by the fridge. "NOW we're home," Terry smiled as he jumped onto his bed at the bottom right of the room. 

"It does feel good to finally lay down," Seira sighed as she went over to the bed at the back of the room and lay with her head facing away from the closet door.

Genesis was silent as he walked over to his bed and sat down on it, "I used my last cigarette when Ariyama-san told me to put it out…"

"Good," Terry said as he lay back on the pillow, moving his floppy ears carefully out of the way, "it makes the room smell. I hate that smell…" Genesis sat on his bed silently, but his red eye began to glow. "Come on Gen, remember, I got the really sensitive nose?"

"Calm down Genesis, Terry," Seira eased the tension, "we'll get you more cigarettes in the morning. Get some rest; we may have to fight those other guys sometime. And we must be prepared for anything Higura-sama gives us." Seira took off her hat and lay on the bed. "Good night."

"G'night," Terry responded as he quickly went to sleep. Genesis sat silently on his bed in the darkness as his colleagues slumbered. 'That girl,' he thought, 'something very peculiar about her.' He lay down and slowly, but surely, fell asleep.

* * *

Kitsune sat up from his bed. His long ears twitched at the thought of what had happened that night. His tail moved around as he looked around in the darkness. He reached over for his glasses and put them on, "Man, I can't sleep," he said silently as he got out of bed and walked over to his window. He stared out of it in thought. 'I wonder,' Kitsune thought, 'the Digital World. How would it be like? Dad's been there, Mom's _from_ there…' He sighed as he went over to his computer and turned it on. 

'Maybe a game will help me go back to sleep,' he thought as his computer booted up. Before he could log into his favorite computer game, he was notified automatically that he had received a new email. He opened his Inbox to see an email from "Higura" and it read:

_Hello Kitsune, I know all about you, Atsuiko, and Keishinko. I think you are wonderful, but I would like to know more about you and your hybrid abilities. Please meet us in West Shinjuku Park after school on Monday. Thanks, and hope I see you there! ---Higura_

Kitsune stared at his screen blankly, "what the…?" Kitsune muttered, "how does this Higura person know who I am, and how do they know who Keish and Atsuiko are?" He looked at the email address, "hmm, he pressed the reply button, "better send them an email. I don't trust this…" He was about to send it, but yawned instead. "Eh, I'll just email these people tomorrow. Finally, I'm feeling sleepy…" he yawned again as he took off his glasses and placed them on the desk. He lay down on the soft bed on his side to avoid crushing his tail and went to sleep immediately.

* * *

Reiko, Blake, and Kaju watched the screens closely. The younger workers have been watching closely for any other flare-ups, but were close to going to sleep. "Hey guys, I think it's almost time to retire." Blake looked at his watch, "it's 2:30." 

"I am really tired," Kaju yawned and stretched from her seat, "There hasn't been a flare-up in the Digital World for a couple of hours now."

"True," Reiko said, "you know what guys, you two can go to sleep now. I'm going to stay up for a bit and make sure everything's secure."

"You sure?" Blake took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "you've been working harder than Kaju or I. You should get some sleep too."

"I will," Reiko leaned against his fist, "Just making sure that everything is okay. You guys can go to sleep. I'll see you guys in the morning." He gave them a reassuring smile. They reluctantly left the room and Reiko was left in the large monitor room. He sat there in thought about what Jenrya told him earlier. "It can't be," the young Yamaki said to himself, "it just can't. I mean I've known them for so long. They wouldn't do this."

The blond 17-year old took out his wallet and looked though the pictures in his wallet. He came upon a picture when he was a baby with his family. It was a Christmas picture, in which his father held him in his arms and his mother, with her long, red hair, stood beside him. They all smiled in the picture. Reiko smiled at the picture as well. He then turned the page, and his smile quickly disappeared, 'I still can't believe that you may be responsible for this,' He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly, 'I hope it isn't, but if you are, then why?'

He sat there quietly for a few more moments, and finally got up putting his wallet away in the process. Reiko walked over to the door and turned off the lights, leaving all the monitors on, as he joined his colleagues, retiring to bed after such a hectic day.

* * *

A/N: Just to note that all of the names for new characters are names I have made up. Hoped you enjoyed this chapter. 

Dexstrosity the LdOFDestruction


	11. Chapter 11: Reassurance

A/N: It has been a while hasn't it? Anyway, I just started college and I finally found some time to put up the latest installment. Enjoy.

Chapter 11: Reassurance

Keishinko walked into the kitchen the next morning to find her mother making breakfast. "Good morning mom," Keishinko yawned as she sat down at the table.

"Good morning," Juri turned around and saw the bruises on her daughter's face, "oh my, what happened?"

"What?" the teenage Akiyama looked at her mother, "oh, umm, well there was that fight with Digimon yesterday…"

"You got into a fight with digimon?" Juri walked over to the table with food, "how come I wasn't called for this?" Keishinko looked at her mother strangely. "It was your father wasn't it?" Juri sighed as she took a seat, "he probably thought I wouldn't let you fight."

"I wouldn't know mom," Keishinko lied as she took a slice of bread off the plate, 'even though dad told me to fight because you weren't there…'

"Nonsense," Juri said, "I know your father. He probably said, "You should learn how to fight now since your mother isn't around."" Keishinko avoided eye contact with her mother, "he did say that, didn't he?"

"I can't remember," Keishinko lied again.

"Don't worry, you won't get in trouble for fighting," Juri took a sip of her tea, "I don't know what your father thinks about me, but I would let you fight."

"Really," Keishinko felt a bit awkward after hearing both her mother and father encourage her to fight, "well, dad did say I should fight." Her mother looked down into her cup of brown liquid, "is that okay with you?"

Juri smiled and she looked at her daughter again, "Of course," Juri nodded, "actually, I was hoping to ask your father and Monodramon to train you." Keishinko was surprised by her mother's acceptance to let her fight. "Honestly, I really wanted to teach you to fight myself, but…" she laughed slightly as she wiped a tear from her eye, "well, I'm not much of the fighting type. And your father is a much better tamer than I was."

"Mom…" Keishinko looked at her mother in a sympathetic way.

"Just one question," Juri looked at her daughter again, "why did you have to fight yesterday, you were at Kitsune's house weren't you?"

Keishinko put down her spoon, ready to tell the complete story of what happened last night, "well, I was at Kitsune's house for the afternoon, but we heard a huge explosion and we looked out the window. We saw that it was at Uncle Takato's Bakery and then Kitsune's mom came in and told us we had to fight." Juri was now completely caught up into the story, "So we got down there and saw that Guilmon and Terriermon were fighting these digimon. They killed them and then Kitsune's dad told us we had to fight to save the Real World. So all of us broke into different teams. I was with Dad and Mono, Kitsune was with Takato and Renamon, and Atsuiko was with Uncle Jen and Terriermon. I had to fight a bunch of those ghost digimon in the subway and…" Before she could finish her story, Ryo walked into the kitchen.

"Oh, Juri," Ryo sweat dropped, "Keish is telling the story of what happened last night?" 'Crap, I'm going to die…'

"Yes," Juri took another sip of her tea, "and why wasn't I told about that? Hm, dear?" Ryo laughed nervously. "I'll deal with you later, let Keishinko finish her story."

Keishinko chuckled, "anyway, I fought a bunch of those ghost digimon, and I was being beaten before Karen and Devidramon saved me. Then I got up and beat the rest of them with a Fist of the Beast Heir." Juri looked over to Ryo, who nodded and smiled. "And then we walked back to the Bakery."

'Fist of the Beast Heir…' Juri thought, with a smile on her face, "Wow," the mother acknowledged the incredible story, "why would I worry if you don't fight or not if you can do those incredible things?"

Keishinko laughed, "You don't have to worry about me." She looked over to her father who smirked and turned to pour a cup of coffee. "I need to head over to Kitsune's place, I forgot my guitar there, is that okay?" Juri nodded, giving her the privilege. She got up from the table, thanked her mother for breakfast and went off to get ready to leave. Ryo took her seat at the table. "Not worried, eh?"

"Not calling me to watch my daughter's first fight?" Juri glared at her husband, "and what was that about me not letting her fight?" Ryo's sweat dropped.

Ryo laughed nervously, "I thought you didn't want her to fight. You wouldn't let me take her to the Digital World…"

"That's different." Juri took a sip of her tea again, "forget it. I am surprised by the name of her attack though."

"Nostalgic isn't it?" Ryo asked as he unfolded the newspaper.

"Fist of the Beast Heir," Juri smiled, "that's an appropriate name for the attack. I did promise him that…" Ryo looked over at his wife and smiled at the thought. For the rest of the morning, the two Akiyama parents were silent.

Alice walked down the hallway of her apartment, passing the door that led to Atsuiko's room. She looked over to the stained, wooden door, 'hope she's doing okay,' Alice thought, 'yesterday was the first time she had a confrontation of any kind.' She began to walk again, but stopped. The mother turned and walked up to the door and opened it slightly. The morning light was scattered across the room in strips. Parts of the room were covered in light, while others were completely shrouded in darkness. Atsuiko was sitting up in her bed, leaning against the headboard.

"Atsuiko," Alice opened the door fully, "are you okay dear?"

Atsuiko looked over to her mother, almost with tears in her eyes, "mother," her face was filled with sadness, "my fighting ability. Why is it darkness? Why is it…evil?" The mother looked almost sympathetic for her daughter. She walked over to the bed and sat down on the bed by her daughter.

"Dear," she placed her hand on the covers of the bed, "your fighting ability is a gift. It's a gift that has a use entirely up to you. I know that it is darkness, but it doesn't have to be used for evil."

"But it IS darkness," Atsuiko began to cry, "It's impure. I don't want to be evil…" She leaned over and rests her head on her mother's shoulder.

"No, you're not evil," Alice comforted her daughter, "no, you make your powers what you want it to be. The darkness you possess isn't evil, it's a strength that you are given." Atsuiko continued to cry over a few more minutes as Alice stayed to comfort her. Before long, the younger McCoy felt better, but wanted to ask more questions.

"Mother," Atsuiko asked quietly, "my powers…did father have the same?"

"I…" Alice paused. Like the others, she had never seen Dobermon fight before and she didn't know as much as Ruki did in terms of digimon type, "don't know. Your father never really battled like you did." Atsuiko looked a slightly disappointed by the response, but wanted to ask more questions.

"If father did have the same powers that I did," Atsuiko continued, "then, was he evil?"

Alice was silent again, "dear, darkness is not evil. Sometimes it is, but they were you and your father's powers. Like you, your father chose to use his darkness for the good of the world and us Tamers…"

"Then why when I was in the darkness realm I felt like I was in complete control and I wanted to inflict pain?" Atsuiko suddenly asked. Alice seemed to be caught by surprise, and Atsuiko looked down in shame, "I told Ruki-san that it was scary and I never wanted to do it again. But she convinced me that I should do what was good for my family, friends, and the rest of the world. When I did perform Grau Realm when I fought, I accepted those feelings of sadism and power. I actually wanted to kill those digimon that attacked Terriermon and Lee-san."

"Atsuiko…"

"It just felt like I was doing to right thing, but at the same time I wasn't," Atsuiko kept her eyes locked staring at the ground, "After the battle I told Ruki-san that I could control it, but how could I control those feelings?" For the first time, Alice could not think of something to say other than what she told her before. But she had to try, and she did.

"You know," Alice looked directly at Atsuiko's face, "to protect the ones we all love, we resort to anything to protect them. Ruki-san was right about protecting the ones you love, but there is a line when you protect others, and when you're harming yourself. Atsuiko, it is your choice. If you think you're fighting ability harms you in any way, then its up to you to decide if you should use it or not." The younger McCoy remained silent, "are you okay with that Atsuiko?"

"Y…yeah," she whispered, "Thank you Mother." She smiled and hugged her. Alice smiled and invited her to eat breakfast and finally come out of the darkness of her room. The hybrid gladly accepted.

Kitsune landed on the ground, panting and completely tired. "Mom…" he breathed hard, "why are we training so hard after what I did on Friday?" Renamon appeared a few feet in front of him.

"Are you hurt?" Renamon asked. Kitsune shook his head, but then collapsed into a tired, sweaty heap onto the forest ground. Renamon sighed, "okay, we'll take a break then." Kitsune breathed relief and collapsed backwards onto the green grass. The waterfall's song continued in the background as Kitsune's harsh pants died down to slow breaths. Trees around secluded the two so they could train in tranquility without the fear of gathering curious spectators. He stared at the sky as he struggled to get his tail out from under him. "Kitsune," Renamon walked over to her collapsed son, "I know you tried hard yesterday, and I know you are strong, but remember that digimon can attack at any moment, so we must be prepared…"

"Okay," Kitsune closed his eyes, "but mom, it's the weekend. Can't I just relax for a little bit?"

"What do you think you're doing right now?" Renamon smirked. The hybrid teenager sighed at the remark. Jenrya walked out to where the two were training.

"You know, this was supposed to be a place to relax," Jenrya pointed out, "how did you two begin to spar? I left you guys for about a minute…"

"Mom made me." Kitsune languidly pointed at his mother. Renamon shot a glare at her son. Jenrya shot a glare at Renamon.

"Renamon," Jenrya shook his head, "Kitsune just had a major fight last night, and you have him training already?"

"All those training years with Ruki-san seemed to rub off," Renamon smirked, "besides, it's good for him."

"Guess you're right," The long haired Lee agreed, "but he looks like he's about to fall apart. I think its time for both of you to take a break. Come on, Kitsune, Renamon, that's why we're out here, to relax." He began to walk away from the two as Kitsune pushed himself to his feet, "and later, I'll let your mother torture you more."

"Okay," Kitsune sighed, "I'm just going to wash up for a little bit." He walked over to the small lake and waterfall and began to wash off his face and hair. 'I wonder about that email last night,' the fox boy thought as he ran the cool water though his scalp and long ears, 'Higura, that was that person's name.'

Renamon appeared right beside her son, "Hurry it up, your father is waiting for us."

"Mom," Kitsune began as he splashed more water on his face, "do you know of anyone known as Higura?"

Renamon looked down at her son, "no." Kitsune paused and looked up to his mother, "you sure?"

"Yes, there is no one I know of whose name is Higura." Renamon assured her son, "why?"

Kitsune turned to face the clear water once again, "no reason, just wondering." But before his hands could touch the water again, Kitsune's ears twitched. He looked up and saw his mother had the same feeling. He placed his glasses on his face again and stood up straight, completely alert. "Mom…"

"Kitsune," Renamon said calmly, "I know already. Someone's here."

-----

A/N: The chapter was delayed a while longer here on Apparently I was having issues with the document manager, but I finally got it to work. Sorry. And um, well, sorry for the lack of updates again but I'll try to update as soon as I get the chance. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please R&R.

DeXstrosity the LdOFDestruction


	12. Chapter 12: Revolution

A/N: I was kind of hesitant about releasing this chapter, but I decided to release it anyway. Please tell me what you all think. Enjoy.

Chapter 12: Revolution

Kitsune jumped to his feet and looked around for someone or something that seemed to be stalking them, "Is it a digimon?"

"Don't know," Renamon peered around as well, "It might be, but it also may be something else."

"Hybrid?" Kitsune asked as he slowly moved around. His mother remained silent. The sound of the waterfall continued as the son and mother waited until their stalker revealed itself. "Where are you?" Kitsune yelled. Renamon looked over to her son as if he was making a huge mistake, but she focused on what may attack them. More silence continued after the yell. "Mom, I don't think there is anything there," Kitsune eased off a bit, "I think it left…"

The Tao fox too found that the sense was completely gone. "Where did it…?" Renamon began, but then realized what it may have been, "Jenrya!" She ran off. "Let's go Kitsune, your father may be in trouble!"

Kitsune was left by himself as his mother rushed off to make sure that Jenrya was okay, 'Dad…' He was ready to rush off before he heard something again. He turned slowly to see what was right behind him. To his surprise, there was a wrapped hand with a blade connected to the arm, holding precariously close to Kitsune's neck.

"Hello Kitsune."

Kitsune's eyes widened as he turned and saw something he wasn't expecting, yet he knew it was going to happen, "W…who are you?" he asked. For a slight moment, the hybrid thought that it was the one known as "Higura."

"I'm the same as you." The figure said quietly, barely the same volume as the waterfall in the background, "I am a hybrid." Kitsune was now filled with a different feeling, one of mixed fear and astonishment. Kitsune realized it was not this mysterious "Higura," but he never dropped his guard.

"Why did you go after me and my mom then?" He asked calmly. Kitsune had not completely turned around yet, and he was afraid to turn around. The blade was literally resting against his neck now, "I haven't done anything."

"That's the problem," The blade slowly moved away from Kitsune, with Kitsune sighing slowly. The figure beckoned Kitsune from behind to turn around. The fox boy's peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the bandaged hand again as it lowered. "You haven't done anything. Hybrids such as you and myself are forced to hide. I know how you hide your fur, tail, and ears from the public everyday."

"That's because I follow the rules that my parents tell me…" Kitsune turned around to face the one talking to him. In front of the hybrid stood another hybrid, but one of a different species. He wore a yellow helmet and had blue skin, covered in scales, and had a tail as well, but one completely covered in blue scales, unlike Kitsune's bushy tail. The blade that threatened the young Lee earlier was curved up, now lying close to the hybrids' arm, "Y…you're a dragon type…"

"A Seadramon type to be more exact," the hybrid of the same age as Kitsune responded, "a water dragon digimon." He turned to watch the waterfall, "Kitsune, you must start a revolution with the other hybrids."

"Wait a minute," Kitsune adjusted his glasses, "there are other hybrids like you?"

"The ones you are with everyday." The Seadramon hybrid spoke. "We both know that we cannot be apart of regular society."

"I am a part of regular society," Kitsune explained, "I may hide my tail and ears, but I am part of society nonetheless. So are the other hybrids, my friends. Keishinko and Atsuiko both are the same way. We fit into society…"

"That is not good enough." The boy interrupted, "if you were to walk around with your ears and tail out, what would everyone say? How would they look at you?" Kitsune remained silent, "that's what I thought."

"But, Keishinko does," The fox boy replied, "she walks around with her ears and tail out. No one looks at her different. Look, whatever your name is, we can fit into society."

"My name is Alec," The blue-skinned hybrid told Kitsune, "and I haven't had it as easy as you or your friends have had it."

"What do you mean?" Kitsune asked.

"Both of your parents are still alive," Alec continued to watch the waterfall, "Your friends parents are probably still alive. Like your dad or mom, my mom was a digimon Tamer. She was 24 when she had me, and she left me in the care of my grandfather. Both mom and dad, her Seadramon, went out to fight those red amorphous creatures that attacked this world 17 years ago." Alec sighed, "They never came back, and I don't know what the hell happened to them. My grandfather told me when I was four that they fought to save the world and helped the "legendary" Tamers defeat that monster." He sighed, "Shortly after, my grandfather died of pneumonia. I was sent off to the foster home since there were no survivors in my family. For ten long years, every family who tried to adopt me rejected me. Every damn time I thought I could trust them, I reveal my hybrid identity to them and they return me. No questions asked." He looked at his skin in shame, "for just a "normal" kid."

Kitsune remained silent as he listened to his story. Alec continued, "When I became 14, I ran away from that foster home and began living here, in solitude. Away from the rest of the humans." He walked over to the water and looked through it, "but then, I overheard a blue-haired man and a digimon talking about you, their son, a hybrid. When they finally brought you here, I knew I had to talk to you. I wanted to know if you shared the same passion I did. But I guess I was wrong." He turned to face the boy once again.

"I honestly can say I have no idea what you are going through," Kitsune told the truth, "I have had parents that love me. I have friends I can turn to and are the same as I am. I'm sorry Alec. But you do know you do not have to live out here by yourself. You could live with my family…"

Alec shook his head, "no. I belong out here in solitude." Kitsune response to Alec's comment was simply silence. 'Odd, he talks of trying to fit into society, but yet…he wants solitude.' Kitsune pondered in his mind. He decided to change the subject in a hurry.

"How have you been surviving out here in the middle of nowhere then? I know you have water, but what about food and other stuff?" Kitsune asked intrigued by the fact that Alec has been living in the forest for years.

"Food and water is no problem," Alec responded, "Building a shelter is also not hard. I learned that since I am a hybrid, I could actually live longer than humans without food or water. I actually only have to eat once a week and drink water only a couple times a week." Kitsune looked shock, 'hybrids can do that?' "As for clothing," The blue skinned boy looked at his torn shirt and torn long pants, "I have used these clothes since I ran away."

"Education?" Kitsune continued to ask questions.

"I learn from eavesdropping," Alec said. "I also eavesdrop at the nearest school, jumping on rooftops and treetops and staying in the shadows right outside an open window as the lectures happen."

Kitsune looked at his bandaged right hand, "what happened to your hand?"

Alec looked at his own hand, "I got into a fight yesterday with a digimon."

"A digimon?" Kitsune asked, surprised.

"Yes," Alec nodded, "it was some kind of giant roach thing. It got me pretty badly on my hand, but I was able to kill it."

'Digimon are starting to pop out of nowhere,' Kitsune thought as he stared into the golden eyes of the masked hybrid. Kitsune walked over to him, "where did that digimon come from exactly?"

"I don't know." Alec looked straight at Kitsune, "it just appeared." In the distance, Kitsune could hear his father calling his name. The hybrid turned to the direction of the sound, "your family is looking for you." Alec turned to watch the waterfall again

"I have one more question." Kitsune turned back to him, "why did you pick me to contact? There are two other hybrids…"

"Because you are different," Alec turned halfway, only revealing the left side of his face, "Kitsune, we hybrids are not normal, we're different. But something about you says that you are _completely_ different from the rest of us." He turned to the waterfall once again, "Kitsune Lee, consider my proposition. I will always be in this forest if you decide." Kitsune nodded and turned to meet his parents.

'Make the right decision Kitsune,' Alec thought as he gazed at the rushing waterfall, 'or our kind will never be seen as equals.'

Kitsune went back to his father, "Kitsune," Jenrya breathed a sigh of relief, "Renamon told me both of you sensed something, and suddenly you disappear."

"Where did you go?" Renamon asked.

"I…" the Fox boy thought of Alec and his wishes to be in solitude, "I was making sure there were no digimon around."

"I wouldn't worry about digimon out here Kit," Jenrya put a hand on Kitsune's shoulder, "rarely does anyone travel though this forest."

"Out of sheer curiosity," Kitsune adjusted his glasses, "what is this forest called?"

"Serenity Forest," Jenrya answered. Kitsune nodded, 'Serenity Forest,' he thought as him and his family made their way back to the main grounds, 'so that's why Alec chose this place. But why is he even in this area?'

"Kitsune," Renamon interrupted her son's thoughts, "I know for a fact that you weren't searching the grounds for digimon." Kitsune continued to listen to his mother as he walked, seeing that his father was more or less not paying attention, "and I know that there is a different hybrid among this forest." The fox boy stopped at the phrase. Jenrya was not far ahead when he saw his mate and son stop. He also halted and walked over to the two having the conversation.

"Mom," Kitsune stared at his mother, "this forest, like Dad said, is rarely traveled by people. It would be a perfect place to shelter hybrids." Renamon's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "I wouldn't be surprised if there are more than just three hybrids." Jenrya looked at both Kitsune and Renamon.

"There are more hybrids," Jenrya said, "other than Atsuiko, Keishinko, and you Kitsune." The Tao fox and her protégé turned their attention to the longhaired Lee, "but how many? I really don't know."

"Dad, are you saying there are others like me?" Kitsune, mocking a look of shock, asked.

"Don't be surprised Kit," Jenrya smiled as he placed a hand on his son's shoulder, "you honestly think your mother was the first digimon to fall for a human?" Renamon blushed slightly by of the comment. The adult Lee laughed inwardly at the reaction given by his mate. "Or me to be the first human to love a digimon for that matter?"

"I…" Kitsune scratched his head in confusion. His thoughts at the moment were all about the other mysterious hybrids, but what his father asked in his answer was an awkward question, "well, yeah." Lee shook his head.

"Kit, your mother and I know that you met another hybrid today," Lee informed his son, "but we don't know exactly what happened between you two. And we feel that you are responsible enough to make those decisions on your own."

"If you say so," Kitsune shrugged, "I'm kind of surprised you guys would think that though." He nodded as his father got out of the way, "but I didn't meet any hybrid out here. Interesting ideas though Dad." Kitsune looked at his father and his mother one more time before walking back to their car, leaving the two parents in the forest.

"Kitsune's lying," Renamon was quick to doubt her son. Jenrya turned to Renamon and smirked. He nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah, but let him believe he's right," Jenrya said, "no harm. Besides, I think he knew we were lying to him as well."

"About the hybrids?" Renamon glared at her Lee.

Lee shrugged, "What I said might be true, might not. I really don't know. But I didn't lie completely."

Renamon smirked inwardly, "sly fox." She glanced over to the bushes again without letting her mate know.

"Look whose talking." Jenrya walked up to Renamon and brushed her arm quickly before both parents went back to their waiting son.

Alec watched the three from afar, attempting to listen to every word. 'What in the world are they talking about?' The dragon hybrid listened intently, focusing on every single word spoken. He noticed then that Kitsune began to leave. And the two parents were alone. 'Do they know about me?' He thought to himself as he tried to listen in on the older members of the family.

"What I said might be true, might not. But I didn't completely lie."

'Is he talking about me?' Alec thought as he tried to listen in by moving in more. Alec noticed the yellow fox's ear twitched and suddenly looked in his general direction. He quickly fell back, trying to make as little noise as possible. 'Damn it.' He thought as he saw the two parents leave the thickest part of the forest.

"They know about me." Alec shook his head as he walked thorough his sanctuary in the vegetation, "Kitsune offered me a home with him and his parents, but why didn't they do anything if they knew about me?"


	13. Chapter 13: Scouting Missions

A/N: New chapter :D. Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 13: Scouting Missions

Higura stared out of her giant window during nightfall throughout the city. She sat in the executive leather chair as the lights of West Shinjuku slowly began to flicker on like millions of fireflies on a hot summer night. 'As usual, such a beautiful night,' She leaned against her fist and tilted slightly so her weight was supported by her right arm, 'and the children are stuck in those laboratories so they can be tested.' Higura sighed as she turned around to see her own office.

"Teenagers are meant to rebel," Higura thought out loud, "to wander, to enjoy life. But Terry, Seira, and Genesis don't have that luxury." A voice suddenly came from the small, triangle shaped speaker on her desk.

"Ms. Higura," The voice spoke, "The three scientists are here, and they want to speak to you."

"Let them in," Higura said as she stood up and straightened her business suit. The two female scientists and male scientist dressed in plain colored slacks and white lab coats walked into the room. "Johnson-san, Ariyama-san, Kisho-san." The boss lady smiled as she shook the hands of all three scientists, "what are the reports?"

"Terry, Seira, and Genesis are quite healthy," Johnson spoke first, "tests have shown that they are at the tail end of their puberty stages, and they are growing up very healthy."

"And they are slowly beginning to find their own identities and abilities," Ariyama reported, "Genesis, for example, has quite a personality. I believe he actually mimicked it from the books he reads…"

"Is that so," Higura walked over to her desk and sat down on her chair again, "and how about Seira?"

"She is becoming stronger and stronger everyday," Kisho reported, trying to smile.

"Are they ready to combat the organics?" Higura looked at Johnson.

"They haven't had any simulations in battle yet," Johnson said as he looked through his papers once again, "but I believe that all three hybrids are ready for battle..."

"Wait," Ariyama interrupted the American scientist, "neither Seira, Terry, nor Genesis has seen battle, other than the other night. But they weren't even part of it."

"They are capable enough to fight like other digimon and hybrids," Johnson faced the longhaired female scientist, "we have collected the organics' data and our three can be told their weaknesses and strengths. The power is in our data…"

"But what if any of them get injured?" Kisho suddenly asked.

"Then we shall treat them," Johnson snapped. He turned to Higura, "my apologies Ms. Higura. But I believe that the hybrids are ready for battle."

"I do not think so," Higura said as she turned her chair and stared out the window again, "send them on another scouting mission. To the homes of the three organics, respectively." Johnson nodded. "And one more thing," Higura turned to face the scientists one more time, "I want to see how each of them react to their respective "counterparts." Terry goes after the fox, Seira goes after the lion, and Genesis goes after the dog."

"With all due respect Higura-sama," Ariyama turned to face her boss, "why those specific pairings?"

"To gather more data. And I'm conducting this as a little experiment. There will possibly be more than one mission for them tonight as well." Higura answered, "Now go and send them out." The three scientists obeyed and walked out of the large office. 'I've done my part,' Higura thought as she continued to watch out the window, 'although I do not want to harm any of the hybrids organic or not, I believe there will be some violence. There is no other way.'

"Come on, you guys got a mission," a brown-haired man in a sweater walked into the room of hybrids, "Higura-sama and the others are summoning you."

Terry looked at the guard and got up from his bed, "Aw man, and I thought we were going to have the night off." He looked over to Genesis and then to Seira. He sighed as he got up to walk over to the door. Seira grabbed her hat and put on her mask and followed her colleague. Genesis got up slowly and walked over to the door. "Hey," Terry tapped the guy on the shoulder, "do you know what kind of mission we're going on?"

"Don't know," he shrugged, "they just told me to get you guys."

"Who are you anyway? We haven't seen you here before." Seira asked.

"New guy," he turned and smirked, "just call me Kazano. I'm just here as a messenger boy and I clean up the lab when the others leave. Essentially, I'm a newly hired janitor even though they call it an "internship.""

"And you do not fear us?" Genesis asked.

"Not really," Kazano shrugged, "I overhear the scientists talk about you sometimes and I kind of imagined you guys in my mind before. Well, it's been fun talking, but here's your stop." He opened the door to the laboratory and promptly left after. The three hybrids entered the mysterious place of science once again and saw their three mentors standing by each other waiting for them.

"So what is the mission this time?" Seira asked, adjusting her hat slightly.

"Another scouting mission," Johnson answered. Terry sighed in disappointment, "you must go to the homes of the organic hybrids and gather as much data as you can. No battling can take place."

"What if they accidentally run into us though?" Terry asked.

"Don't let it happen," Ariyama said, "You three are not ready for battle yet."

"We are though…" Terry urged, but was quickly shot down by the three scientists. He grumbled under his breath. The large digimon hybrid sighed as he continued to listen to his superiors half-heartedly, 'Damn it, I want to fight,' Terry twitched slightly, 'I know I can beat that skinny little fox boy.' He blinked as he awaited the end of their briefing.

"Listen in if there are any new briefings. That is all," Johnson spoke, "be safe, all of you." They all understood their orders and left to begin their mission.

Kitsune sat in front of the glowing screen of his computer. His finger continually tapped the D key softly, thinking of what to write, 'For a future writer,' he adjusted his glasses, 'I'm pretty slow at this.' He looked at the keyboard, but none of his fingers moved. The hybrid turned his head slightly, frustrated by the writer's block that developed. But his lack of ideas for writing was one of the last things on his mind. Quickly, his thoughts changed from possible story ideas to the mysterious email from Higura and his meeting of Alec, the Seadramon hybrid revolutionist. Kitsune opened a new window on his computer and brought up the email once again. He read over it about ten times, thinking every time if he and the others should meet this mysterious Higura. And was Alec connected with this Higura? He shook his head as he got up.

Suddenly, he felt a presence of a being outside, 'What the hell,' He quickly went to his window and looked outside where his sense was telling him. But nothing. He shook his head and went over to his bed. "Damn, tomorrow's Monday," he said as he pulled the covers over himself, "and that means I have to meet that Higura person." He sighed again. Before long, he fell asleep thinking about the upcoming day ahead.

---

Meanwhile, Jenrya sat on the sofa in the living room of the apartment, thinking about the past several events. He placed his hand on his chin in thought, "how did those digimon get into the Real World if both firewalls were working perfectly?" He looked up to the ceiling, "And that thing Takato mentioned. I trust him, but something given to him by the Digimon gods?" He then noticed his Digimon, Terriermon, staring out of the window. "Terriermon?" Jenrya watched his Digimon. 'He never acted like this before," Lee thought. "You okay?"

The little dog Digimon shook off his stare, "just a weird feeling." His beady eyes turned to his Tamer, "Mouh Mihn Thai!" He chirped, back to his regular self.

---

Terry hid leaned against the thickest tree he could as he looked up at the window once again, "This is Terry, both the fox boy and the Tamer are not doing anything. I was almost spotted though…"

"That will do fine right now Terry," the radio talked back, "return home."

The large hybrid put his radio away and looked up at the window again, "strange." He muttered as he quickly left.

Takato dropped a large bag of flour on the kitchen floor of the Matsuda Bakery. He sighed as he walked over to another bag of the white powdery cooking substance. 'They're a million of these things,' he squatted down and grabbed a hold of the sack, 'and Guilmon is out somewhere goofing around again. He should be helping me with this.' He stood up and stumbled over to the other side of the bakery where he dropped the sack with no remorse. He wiped his brow with his forearm as he walked to the back door of the bakery to take a breather. It was very early in the morning and the sun was not even rising yet.

"Another busy day," he predicted, "Dad never told me how bad it was going to be." He leaned against the kitchen counter. "And to think all of this commotion with Digimon right now, and that thing…" Takato looked around his kitchen, "why would they tell only me and Ruki that anyway?" he began questioning his own mind, "it's not like we're special or anything." The window in front of the baker slowly began to reveal sunlight, as the streetlights uniformly shut off. "Better get back to work." He turned to return to his work, but something caught the corner of his eye. 'What the…?'

Takato walked over to the back door of the bakery and opened it, searching left and right for the mysterious figure that passed by. "Guilmon?" Takato called out. He shrugged, "Guess it was my imagination…" he mumbled to himself, "working too hard again…" The brown haired adult shut the door and began to work again.

A shadowy person walked from behind a dumpster, "he almost noticed me, but I was able to avoid him," the being spoke into the radio.

"Did he say anything?" the radio buzzed.

"No, but I did overhear something about some…thing."

"That may be of importance," the radio responded, "continue to watch him throughout the day." The radio buzzed out. The being was about to move out, but the radio continued, "and Seira, try not to get caught." Seira tipped her hat, "okay?"

"Yes," Seira looked around the corner to where the sun lit up half of the alleyway, "this Takato may be more dangerous that we thought."

Karen opened the door of her home and walked outside into her large yard. The sun was just rising and the air was clean and crisp. She loved living in the country after living in the city as a teenager. The air was cleaner and it was so much easier for her to breath.

She walked down the small pathway, turned right, and walked up to a patch of brightly colored flowers. She kneeled down to bring herself closer to her flowers and took a whiff of the several floras. "They're so beautiful," Karen smiled and took another smell, "and they smell so good too." The brown-haired woman closed her eyes in thought. 'Three years ago,' a tear formed from her brown eye, 'the same way as mom and dad did.' She opened her eyes, "Another day Jack," she spoke softly, "and Devidramon is here to protect me. I know you, Mom, and Dad are watching over me as well. Don't worry about me."

Karen brought her hands together for prayer and kneeled in that position for a long moment. Suddenly, Devidramon appeared behind her, "Karen…" his raspy voice spoke.

"I know," Karen lowered her hands and turned her head slightly to the left, "but I don't think he's here to harm me, just to watch." Devidramon gave a low grumble of concern, "do not worry." She stood up and looked over to the grand oak tree in her front yard. "It's okay, Devidramon won't attack; you can show yourself."

Nothing.

"I know you're there," Karen spoke simply, "you can't hide in the shadows forever."

"Who said I was hiding?" a voice rang out. Karen held her ground. A red dot began to glow from the shadows on the top of the trees. Before long, the teenager with a half metal face jumped down from the tree, revealing his presence. "What's your name?" Karen asked.

"I'm not disclosed to tell you that." He responded emotionless.

Karen squinted slightly, 'a digimon hybrid?' she thought as she took one step closer. Devidramon waited patiently behind his tamer, but could not help but feel concerned, "A hybrid?" The enigma of a teenager stood in front of the brown haired tamer stoic. A radio began to buzz.

"Come in! Genesis!" He looked to his left side and picked up the radio. "Are you okay? Come in!"

"I'm fine." He replied.

"What happened?"

"I'm just leaving." He put away his radio, "I was sent here to watch you. I do not know what they're going to tell me what to do next, but for future reference, do know this. I will not be responsible for what happens to you or your Digimon." Karen kept her eyes on the mysterious hybrid. He reached into his pocket, making Karen and Devidramon flinch, but to their surprise, he pulled out a cigarette. He lit the cigarette, took a puff, and held it between his index and middle finger. He turned, "Nor do I have any control over what I'll do next." He then began to walk away into the distance, placing the cigarette back in between his lips.

"Karen," Devidramon spoke, "we should have taken care of him when we had the chance."

"No," Karen replied, "we'll worry about that later. But I'm more concerned about Keishinko and the others." With that she turned and walked back to the house, thinking about what had just happened between her and the hybrid.

A/N: Just like to point out a few things:

Kazano is a character of my creation. He is not part of the Tamers universe in general (such as Higura and others) and is more or less a side character.

The three hybrids were sent out on scouting missions specifically against their "counterparts" (as mentioned earlier in the chapter), but I decided not to write about it specifically. When Genesis and Seira went out to scout on Karen and Takato respectively, that was an extra mission. Sorry if it caused confusion.

Stay tuned for the next chapter :P. Thanks again for everyone who reads my stuff. I have fun writing it and without you readers, I would've been just another Digimon Otaku XD.

-Dexstrosity the LdOFDestruction


	14. Chapter 14: Speculation

A/N: Ugh, sometimes I feel like I'm losing my touch. Don't know about this chapter, but hopefully I can get out of this funk soon. Not saying it's a bad chapter, but…I know I'm capable of better. Anyway, enjoy .

Chapter 14: Speculation

Jenrya walked into the office where his younger coworkers were sitting at their stations watching the computer screens as usual. "Anything happen during the night?" The elder asked as he sat in a leather chair.

"Nothing to report on the Digital side," Kaju said, "been quiet ever since that flare up two days ago."

"Same at home," Blake reported, "no wormholes or stray digimon."

Lee looked around for the last coworker, "hey guys, where's Reiko?" Blake and Kaju looked at the longhaired Tamer and shrugged.

"He left early this morning," Blake said, "said he'll be back before you got in. But apparently, he missed that deadline." He turned and went back to work. Jenrya sat in his chair thinking about what he had told Reiko earlier, 'He was closest to her than anything,' he thought, 'and to find out that she's causing all of this commotion is rough.' Kaju interrupted his thoughts.

"Sir, Reiko has been acting very strangely after the flare up," Kaju turned and faced her boss, "I'm sure it isn't my place to ask, but would you know what is bothering him?" Lee sighed, "I'm sorry for asking…"

"No, its okay," Jenrya got up, "it's a bit personal. Just give it time and Reiko will be back to normal. You know, its one of those things that pass." He walked over to the large screen and stared at the large map of West Shinjuku. "Just imagine someone you think you could have trusted betraying you and your beliefs."

"A backstabbing friend," Blake suggested, "yeah, that hurts…"

Lee sat down in his chair again, "yes, except on a much, much higher degree."

The young Yamaki stood motionless in front of an apartment complex. He removed his sunglasses and his eyes scanned the building, 'I can't believe this…' He walked up the stone path, 'why you?' he thought saddened as his feet slowly brought him to oak door. He struggled out a depressing sigh and rung the doorbell. Before long, a middle-aged woman opened the door. Reiko smiled, and the woman returned the smile with one of her own, "Reiko," she said as she extended out and hugged the young Yamaki, "its good to see you again. What brings you here?"

"Onodera-san," Reiko started, "is it okay if I come in?" He was invited in and she immediately began asking about his parents. "How are your parents, Reiko?"

"They're fine," Reiko answered politely, "how is Jade? I haven't talked to her for a couple of weeks now."

"Oh, she doing very well," Onodera answered, "she's been studying hard at school." Yamaki smiled. He liked talking to and seeing Jade Onodera, which is about every two months or so. They were best friends since infancy, naturally since Reiko's mother, father, and Onodera were all coworkers and best friends. She was one year younger than he was, but he always liked having her around.

"I mean to ask you something Onodera-san." Reiko changed the subject subtly. She blinked and let him ask, "no doubt you knew about the digimon coming back to this world." She listened in intently, "and since I'm following my father's work, we had to investigate what was causing the wild ones to appear again." Onodera sighed and leaned back depressingly. Yamaki noticed the change in emotions and immediately stopped, "Onodera-san?"

"So, it is true." She said. Yamaki looked at her saddened, yet sympathetic. "When your father's team: your father, your mother, and myself, left Hypnos so many years ago, I thought we never had to worry about Digimon or "wild ones" again. But I knew years before that once I joined that organization and the "Juggernaut" program, I knew I would never escape that world."

"I'm sorry Onodera-san," Yamaki felt bad now. He thought for certain he and Lee were correct, but after hearing her past experiences with his father and mother at the wretched place, he felt even worse that he misjudged the long-time family friend, "I'm so sorry for bothering you about this…"

"No," Onodera wiped a tear away from her eye, "its okay. It was a long time ago. Now, what were you going to ask me about them?" Yamaki hesitated for a moment, "is it regarding these new digimon?"

"…Yes." Yamaki tried to find a different way, but decided to just tell the truth, "Me and Lee-san, my boss, honestly thought you may be the one releasing these new wormholes through Digital Ports since you were the only one who had the knowledge to. I'm so sorry for the accusation…"

"Oh no, don't be," she smiled, "I understand how it is to work for a place searching for Digimon. But I'm sorry; I can't help you on that. I've been home during these events." Yamaki was relieved to find out she was not the culprit, but was slightly irritated to find that someone else has been setting Digimon free.

He got up, "I'm sorry to be leaving so shortly, but I have to get back to work," Yamaki hugged his parents' long time friend once more before leaving, "and before I forget, tell Jade I said hello." Before the dirty blond teen left the home, he realized some, 'Jade.' Yamaki thought. He quickly turned around to face the elder, "Onodera-san, where is Jade right now?"

The aged blond woman looked at Reiko and blinked, "she's at school right now. I think she was with her boyfriend."

'Boyfriend?' Reiko's eyebrow instinctively raised in both curiosity and surprise, "Oh, okay, I'll see if I can visit her. Thank you again Onodera-san." He waved and this time, he finally left.

Kitsune stared at the teacher blankly as the teacher continued with his lecture. Today was the day that Higura person was supposed to meet him after school, and he couldn't think about anything else. The same questions kept flying through his mind. Before his train of thought could grow any longer, Keishinko interrupted him by throwing a piece of paper at him. He shook off his daydreaming and looked over to his long time friend. She had a smirk on her face and that look he always knew, the one that asked a question without even giving a hint. Kitsune unraveled the wad of paper and read it. "What's wrong with you today? I swear your head is in the clouds more than usual." He looked over to her and shook his head. The lion hybrid responded with a puzzled look.

'Something must really be bothering him then,' Keishinko thought as she rested her chin on her palm. 'I'll find out what it is.'

Later, during lunch Kitsune, Keishinko, and Atsuiko walked out of the same classroom together as usual. "So, are you going to tell us what's wrong Kit?" Keishinko asked leisurely, "or am I going to have to get it out of you like usual."

"Okay, okay," Kitsune sighed and looked around for anyone else. By that time, the hall was more or less empty. He looked at Keishinko and then Atsuiko, who now looked somewhat concerned; "I got this email from this person named Higura who wants to meet me after school."

"And what's the big deal about that?" Keishinko asked.

"He or she _knows_ we're hybrids," Kitsune said as he adjusted his glasses, "this Higura wants me to bring you two along."

"I don't know about that Kitsune-kun," Atsuiko was the first to respond, "we may find ourselves in trouble." Keishinko agreed.

"I know," the teenage Lee said, "but if we don't go, Higura knows who I am and who you are and may even tell the world. If this person got my email address out of nowhere, then who knows what other things Higura knows about me or you two."

"Are you suggesting we go there, even if we don't know who they are?" Atsuiko asked.

"Yeah," Keishinko followed up, "this Higura person might be a rapist or serial killer…"

Kitsune sweat dropped. "Have you forgotten who we are or what we can do?" the fox hybrid in disguise stated, "Besides, if things get to wild to handle, just run." Keishinko and Atsuiko looked at each other and agreed to it, "okay, this is the plan. Higura told us to go in our hybrid forms, so once we're at the park, we'll reveal it." He looked at his two friends' faces. They had a genuine look of concern and fear, "don't worry you two, it'll be fine. I promise you two that I won't let Higura or whatever he or she has planned hurt either of you." The two female teenagers blushed slightly.

The looks of concern were now gone and replaced with a bit of ease. "We don't need you to protect us," Keishinko stuttered slightly, with her face still slightly red, "remember I can kick your butt at anytime!" Kitsune smirked as the trio walked outside for the remainder of their lunch break.

Jenrya's cell phone began to ring as he sat in front of the main computer at their headquarters. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, "Hello?" He answered.

"Dad," Kitsune was on the line, "me and the others are going to hang around in the park for a bit. Where's mom?"

"She's at home," Jenrya answered, "better tell her first as well or she'll begin to hunt you down like a dog if you're late."

Kitsune laughed, "Okay dad, I will…"

"What are you going to do at the park?" the father asked.

"Just a little research for a project," Kitsune told his father, "I have to go, I'll stop by the house and tell mom. Bye dad." The phone hung up. Lee put the cell back into his pants pocket and glanced at the screen for a moment and there was a quick flash at one point for a second. "What was that?" Jenrya looked at the screen. "Kaju, Blake, did you see that? What was it?"

"Looks like it was just a slight power surge," Blake looked at his screen, "I hate those things, I swear they have the same Digital make-up as a wild one."

"Nothing on the Digital side," Kaju reported, "yep, it was a power surge that affected a computer apparently."

Lee eased slightly as he looked at the screen. He sat down slowly, 'I really hope that was just a mild power surge.'

Kitsune met the other two outside of the school, "I told my dad and mom we were all heading to the park for research. I don't think they'll come looking for me. How about you two?"

"Already taken care of," Keishinko shot a thumb up, "mom and dad are working and Mono is out at Uncle Takato's again."

"Mom is at home, Uncle Hiro and Uncle Kenta are out as well," Atsuiko said.

"Alright, we're all in the clear," Kitsune turned, "now lets go see who this Higura really is." The three walked to the park still worried about what to expect, but they had to know and they knew there was no avoiding it.

"Who is this Higura again?" Keishinko asked, trying to pass the time of travel.

"Don't know," Kitsune shrugged, "but I'm guessing he or she is from some kind of research facility or something. The email address said "Smartech."

"Wait a minute," Keishinko jumped in front of her two friends, "are you saying that we might become "research subjects" because of Higura?"

"No," Kitsune shook his head, "like I said, nothing will happen. If we are under attack or Higura plans to hurt us, we'll just fight back or run."

"Kitsune-kun," Atsuiko began, "what if this person is stronger or faster than us?" Kitsune and Keishinko looked at the female hybrid, "seeing how we are the way we are, I wouldn't be surprised if Higura is another hybrid who just wants to hurt us…"

"See?" Keishinko pointed out scornfully, "Atsu thought it over as well. We can still turn back."

"Relax," Kitsune said again, "if you two want, we'll see what Higura wants and we'll leave immediately without saying anything else. Nothing bad will happen, I promise." The two female hybrids thought the decision over again and reluctantly agreed. The park was in front of them before long, and they stopped again. "You sure…?" Keishinko began, but was cut off by Kitsune.

"Let's go." Kitsune confidently said as they all walked to the small rotunda in the middle. The trees overhead shadowed the rotunda of a single large tree and several benches surrounding it. "From what my mom and dad told me," Kitsune started, "this is where my parents used to hang around. They told me this that very few people ever passed through here, so no one would ever find out about mom." He looked up at the large tree, the centerpiece of the park itself.

"I finally get to meet you wonderful hybrids," a female voice spoke from behind the three hybrids. Kitsune was the first to turn around. He saw a woman with long blond hair in a business suit. She had a seemingly warm smile on her face, but Kitsune never eased up. Keishinko and Atsuiko soon turned around and saw that it was only a human woman, but were still concerned about their safety.

"I'm assuming you're Higura," Kitsune asked cautiously, not taking his eyes off the mysterious woman for a second, "what do you want with us?"

Higura placed her hands in her pocket and took a step forward, making the three hybrids move back slightly into one of the benches, "don't worry, I won't harm you. I would never intend to harm such innocent children as yourself."

"She's kind of creepy," Keishinko whispered to Kitsune, who silently agreed. Higura's smile made all of them feel uncomfortable as they heard out the mysterious lady's explanation.

"You see, I wanted to bring you out here for a single purpose," Higura stopped and looked up at the treetops above and the sky peeking through, "to view the beauty of nature…"

"That's it?" Keishinko interrupted, "not to sound rude, but you know mysteriously telling teenagers to meet you in dark parts of a park is a bit on the odd or maybe INSANE side, especially for "observing nature."" The lion-hybrid spoke loud, much to her friend's disdain. Kitsune feared the worse at this point, thinking that Higura may have snapped because of her sudden silence.

"Nature," Higura looked at the three hybrids again, "its beautiful. All three of you are beautiful. Atsuiko McCoy and Keishinko Katou Akiyama, two very pretty young females;" Higura did not move from her spot, and neither did the three hybrids, "and the handsome Kitsune Lee."

"Why did you call us out here," Kitsune grew slightly impatient as well as a bit scared, "really. I know it's a higher purpose than "nature.""

Higura reached deeper into her pocket and pulled out a pocket watch, "ah, I see it is time. I adore all three of you, and your natural beauty. Kitsune, I know you are curious, so I shall cut to the point." Atsuiko noticed something in the trees and immediately tugged on Kitsune's sleeve.

"Kitsune-kun…" Atsuiko started nervously.

"Oh hell no…" Keishinko saw something as well within the shadows.

"I know," Kitsune looked around, "damn it, I should have known something was going to happen."

Higura's smile was still as large as they first saw her, "children of Digimon and human," she said proudly. Three mysterious beings being watched in the shadows finally showed their selves "meet your brothers and sister."

A/N: Um, yeah, sorry for all of the delays on the story . The good news is that since my finals for this quarter are over, I SHOULD (read: probably not, but will willingly and seriously try to attempt to) be able to update something much more frequently now. One thing that kind of bugs me is that if you're reading this story on Media Miner, it's all italicized. I want everyone to know I don't want it to be italicized, but I'm too lazy to find the problem and fix it. Hopefully if I uploaded this chapter, its not, but it may be and I apologize for it. If you read this on it should be fine.

Anyway, despite the lack of updates on this side of my Internet world, I do update my Live Journal much more often. So if you do enjoy my work here, you'll probably find something of some interest on my LJ. And if you have one or even if you don't, please drop a line in my comments (and possibly add me as your "friend" :D). Livejournal "DeXstrosityX2." So that's that for the shameless plug XD.

One more thing: I have changed my email, so if you wish to drop me a line via email, please use since I check that one more often than my Hotmail account nowadays.

Please R&R. Thanks for everyone's support again.

-DeXstrosity the LdOFDestruction (aka Evolved Spirit KitsuDeXstrosity)


	15. Chapter 15: Siblings

A/N: Okay, I actually really liked how this chapter came out, I hope you do too .

Chapter 15: Siblings

Kitsune's eye twitched as he looked at the three hybrids that stood among them. The fox boy looked to the left of him, seeing a female with a wide-brim hat and a mask over her mouth and nose, only revealing blue eyes. It was more than evident to him; she was filled with the desire to fight. He turned to his right and within the shadows stood a half-machine-type digimon half-human hybrid, with a hidden left hand and a glowing left eye. In front stood a large, muscular hybrid with long, floppy ears and green hair. Kitsune took a step forward, making sure that the two girls were safely behind him, yet he knew in his heart that they never needed the protection. "You still haven't answered my question," Kitsune calmly returned his focus to Higura, "Why are we here?"

"Why are you so uptight?" Higura kept the disturbing smile on her face, "you are among friends, family…"

"They are not family or friends," Keishinko stepped forward, but Kitsune kept her back with his arm. The young Lee turned to her, "Relax, we don't want to do anything sudden, or it could be all over for us."

"I agree with the cat-girl," The one with the wide brimmed hat spoke, "we are not among allies…"

"Seira," Higura interrupted the females, "be nice, Keishinko and the others are your friends." Keishinko tried to break free from Kitsune out of rage, but he successfully held her back. Atsuiko looked at all three strangers separately. Slowly her eyes looked at each one, first the one named "Seira" then the muscular one in the front. Finally her eyes drifted to the last of the hybrids hidden within the shadows. At first, the shadow-dwelling hybrid did not notice the young McCoy was eyeing him, but soon noticed, turning his head slightly to see her. Atsuiko immediately looked down. "You still haven't answered my question Higura," Kitsune said again, "why have you called us out here?"

"If you really must know," Higura's smile disappeared and was replaced with a serious look, "we are all gathered here to so I can make a proposition for you and your friends."

"We're not interested," Kitsune said firmly. Both Keishinko and Atsuiko looked at the blue-haired boy, "I'm sorry." The young Akiyama nudged Kitsune, "you don't even know what she's asking for."

Higura's eyes narrowed and her stare became much more penetrating. The businesswoman's piercing stare was directed right at Kitsune. The young Lee's fist tensed up as he watched Higura and the large hybrid standing beside him. Higura's narrow index finger began to tap lightly against her cotton formal pants. "You were planning to make us your research subjects, just like these three, weren't you?" Kitsune accused.

"You were going to be reunited with your siblings." Higura retaliated, keeping the parental façade intact "You were going to be taken away from the pain of holding back your true identity. Everyday you could have been yourself and you would have had company: your brothers and sister."

"Our only family is our birth parents and each other," Keishinko declared, "Some test tube babies could never be "family.""

"You bitch!" Seira yelled and began to charge the Keishinko. Higura turned to the large hybrid by her side, "Terry, restrain your sister." In an instant, the green-haired hybrid dashed and restrained his colleague before she could reach Kitsune and the others. "Seira, calm down," he whispered to his "sister," "I want to crush these organic mistakes as much as you do, but we must wait for Higura-sama's orders." Seira tried to break free, but realized the burly teammate was right, "…fine." She muttered as they reluctantly returned to their leaders' side.

Atsuiko's eyes strayed from the two hybrids and creator to the third hybrid hidden among the shadows once again. 'Why is he in the shadows?' she thought. His face glowed within the shadows like a red beacon of light in the midnight sky. She couldn't help to notice what he wore and the finer details of the hybrid within the shadows. He was dressed in winter clothing: a black winter cap with his dark-colored hair peeking from under the brim, a black turtle-neck sweater, his right hand shown the same pale color as his half-cybernetic face and his other hand is mysteriously gloved, black loosely-fitted slacks with cargo pockets on each pant leg, white tennis shoes showing very little wear from use. Atsuiko's fear of the hybrid slowly faded as she continued to observe the same-age hybrid. Once he noticed her again, she flinched again and looked away.

"The discrimination of you and your family's kind will only grow," Higura continued her persuasion; "humans have always been that way, even with their own kind. Look back when humans killed their own kind in war, genocide…"

"We don't need a history lesson from you!" Keishinko interrupted, "you heard Kitsune's response the first time. We don't want to be your puppets like those blindly following you. We're actually loved by our parents and our community."

The businesswoman sneered in discontent of the female hybrids' comments. "That will change as time grows. Once your classmates in school and communities find out, you will be ostracized—you will be completely segregated by your own society because you were born." The anger grew in the face of Kitsune. The words she spoke angered the teenage Lee in some way he has never been angered before. Unknowingly, his teeth began to grow into sharp fangs and his face contorted slightly. Higura noticed the change of emotion and continued to talk, transforming back into the façade of a caring guardian, "But I can change your fate of becoming ostracized and hated. I can change your fate of becoming hated by your own family and friends because they're feeling the discrimination caused by you." Kitsune's teeth began to grit in anger, "All you have to do is come with me and be reunited with your other siblings."

"You…" Kitsune muttered, his words trembling in utter anger, "how dare you speak of our families that way." Keishinko looked at her friend's face and saw the twisted and contort caused by anger. She turned to the two hybrids, "our families would never abandon us. We know for a fact that they love us, no matter what."

"What a bunch of bullshit…" Terry muttered softly, but loud enough for the sensitive ears of all three hybrids to hear. Kitsune removed his glasses and with no remorse threw them to the ground. "You bastard!" Kitsune rushed to do battle with the offender. His right hand began to form the familiar ice shards as his left hand began to glow with a strange aura. Suddenly, before the Renamon hybrid could reach his target, a being appeared in front of him.

"Kitsune, stop."

With those words, Kitsune stopped in place with his ice shards still forming in his hand. He began to pant as he tried to regain his composure. His breathing slowed and his teeth began to shrink to its original length and size. He closed his eyes as he realized he had no clue what was happening. "So the mother shows herself." Higura said to herself. "Mom?" Kitsune finally said. "What are you doing here?"

"I knew you were up to something," the Tao Fox Renamon looked at her son and folded her arms, "right after you told your father that obvious lie, I'd thought I follow you." Renamon turned her head slightly and peered behind her, seeing the two hybrids and businesswoman. "And what is your business with my son and his friends?"

"Just a friendly proposition," Higura answered, "something for them to think about."

"From what I heard, that was no 'friendly proposition'," Renamon turned to face Terry, Seira, and Higura, "I want you and your 'children' to stay away from my son and those two hybrids," referring to Atsuiko and Keishinko, "And if you bring harm to my son or the others in any way, I will personally hunt you down and rip out your heart." With the last words, Seira and Terry stepped forward to protect their creator. Renamon looked at the two hybrids and noticed something rather strange, almost familiar, but did not say anything.

"Fine, we shall leave." Higura announced. Terry and Seira backed off. "Genesis, we must go." And with that call, the third hybrid within the shadows appeared by his "siblings." Atsuiko looked at Genesis one last time, 'He's…like me…' She thought to herself, 'within the shadows…' Genesis looked directly at Atsuiko before turning and leaving with his "family." The three hybrids were left in the quiet park with the parental digimon.

"Mom…" Kitsune began.

"Kitsune," Renamon turned to face her son, "what are you thinking? You know that others don't know about you or the others being hybrids."

Kitsune scratched his head, "well, she sent me an email asking me to meet her here. I didn't know it would be something like that. I mean, she's crazy, and…I don't know…I was curious."

"And your curiosity may have gotten you, Keishinko, or Atsuiko injured, or even worse killed." Renamon said sternly. Her eyes sharpened. But suddenly, she turned to face where Higura and her hybrids walked off to, "They were all hybrids." Kitsune noticed the sudden change in behavior in his mother. 'I've never seen Mom so caring, so maternal, almost to the point of emotional. Strange…'

"Yeah," Keishinko broke the moment of silence, "it seemed like they were like us: that obnoxious chick with the hat that tried to attack me, that weird guy in the shadows, and that muscle-head with green hair and long ears. And of course their ring-leader, that freakish lady."

Renamon nodded, "yes, but there was something odd." The Tao Fox tilted her head down in thought, "Something about one of them…" She was silent as the three hybrids stared at her waiting for a response. "Mom?" Kitsune broke his mother's train of thought, "What was so strange?" Renamon turned to her son, "it seems to be something your father must take care of." She began to walk away. "Come on Kitsune, its getting late," she said and Kitsune followed, "and Keishinko and Atsuiko, you two better be heading home as well."

The school quietly settled as the few remaining students exited the hallways. "I'll see you guys tomorrow then!" A cheerful teenage girl wearing eyeglasses with blondish red hair tied into a ponytail walked out of the computer lab. She took a few steps forward passing a young man leaning against the school lockers, noticing that he has a familiar face. "Reiko-kun?"

"It has been a while Jade," the young Yamaki smirked as he looked up from the ground, seeing the girl he has known since childhood. Jade smiled as she walked over to the fellow teen and gave him a hug. They both began to walk out of the "So how has everything been?"

"The usual," her answers were short and simple as they have been since they've known each other. It was a trait that Reiko took fondly to, considering that almost every other girl he has met throughout his life were annoying little chatterboxes who would not shut up about the most frivolous topics, "school, stuff like that." Reiko silently nodded as a smile grew on his face slightly. He still had the comment her mother told him right before he left in the back of his mind, but he could not bring himself to ask about it. However, although he refused to ask it, he instinctively let it slip anyway, "so, your mom told me you have a boyfriend now."

The young Jade Onodera suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, "that's funny, she's been telling everyone that again?" Reiko's face showed nothing more than confusion. "He's just a guy in my computer club. Since we hang out a lot, Mom thinks that we're going out. It's really nothing." She shook her head and laughed. Reiko eased with the mention of the last comment. "His name is Koyuki Haruno, and he's decent in computers. Though, I wouldn't say as decent as you are." Jade began to walk, leaving Reiko confused. He hurried to continue their path out of the school once again.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Yamaki turned to Jade, "you think I'm only 'decent?'"

"Yeah," Onodera shrugged, "more decent than Koyuki or myself actually. You're the one handling other computer life forms, am I not correct?" She looked up to the taller Reiko with a smug look on her face. She adjusted her glasses slightly and faced forward again. Reiko scratched his head, 'Wonder how she knows about the Digimon thing?' he thought as they both continued down the halls of the empty school in silence now. The two teens stepped out into the sunshine that was late afternoon.

"It's been a blast talking with you again Reiko-kun," Jade said in her common, cheery cadence of speech, "I'll tell Mom you said hi." She waved as she hurried home, but Reiko stopped her for a quick second. "Hold on," he scratched his head in confusion, "how do you know about me working with computers if I haven't even seen you or your mom in such a long time?"

"Its not like you're Mom and Dad and my Mom aren't excommunicated from each other." Jade replied sarcastically, "Duh." She shook her head and smiled as she turned around and began to walk home again, leaving the young Reiko Yamaki a defeated man.

Higura sat down in her leather chair as the three hybrids lined up in front of her.

"Well that was a complete failure," Seira commented. "Those bastard organic hybrids and their damn parents…"

"Calm down Seira," Higura smirked, "you three are so much better than them anyway." The three hybrids remained stoic, knowing that it was nothing more than a mere maternal comment, used to attempt to raise their morale." And besides, we have enough time to wear them down. I already laid the damage, now we shall let time do our bidding. They will now simply erode."

"So are we done for the day?" Terry yawned, "I'm getting tired…and sleepy."

"Not just yet," Higura brought up a hologram map in front of the hybrids and herself, "I want all three of you to go here." She pointed to a place on the map. The area was North of West Shinjuku, shrouded in trees away from the city by several kilometers.

"Serenity Forest?" Terry questioned, "That place is as quiet and as uneventful as Genesis." Genesis shrugged off the comment, "is there a hybrid?" Genesis asked.

Higura nodded, "and he may need some persuasion. We won't let this one get away. Use any force necessary, just keep him alive." Terry and Seira smiled as the trio walked out of the room to begin their mission.

Jenrya walked out of the office building into the crisp evening air. As he walked to his car, a motorcycle sped into the small parking lot. The elder Lee turned to the loud noise to see the racing bike swerve to a complete stop. A smirk grew upon Jenrya's face, "So where have you been all day?" The helmeted head of the rider of the motorcycle turned to Jenrya and slowly the black helmet came off revealing the rider's brown eyes and blond hair, "sorry Lee-san but I had some business to take care of."

"Talking to Onodera-san?" Lee walked over to him, "and Jade?"

"Now how did you know that?" the blond-haired teenager smirked as he placed his biking helmet down upon the seat of his bike.

"Simple," Lee now stood face to face with his coworker, "you and I were thinking alike. Now Reiko, what's the story?"

"It's not Onodera-san that's for sure and I just visited Jade since it's been so long," Reiko reported, "so far no leads. I have to ask Dad about this one. He used to work with Digimon and conspiracies, so he should know something." He smiled, "besides, I have some laundry to do."

Jenrya laughed, "If anything, your father should know exactly what to do in this situation. The other Tamers and I were the ones originally giving him problems."

"But you're all friends now." Reiko reminded Lee, "I'll see what I can get out of Dad. But right now, I think I'll crash for a few hours. Later, Lee-san." He waved as he walked into the building. Lee smiled at the teenager's comments. He turned to his car again and was ready to unlock his car. The key turned and the modern-day latch unfastened. Just before he opened the door to the driver's seat, he noticed a movement from the corner of his eye. He turned his head slowly towards the direction, to the right of the office building. The objects were swift, but Lee's trained eye barely caught the movement. "Odd." He said to him, "Seems like it wasn't a power surge after all." He turned to his car again, entered the vehicle, and sped away from the workplace.

Stumbling through the dark, two beings traveled through the minor brush of the dimly lit area. The one in the front, a human man, carried a flashlight as his accomplice followed closely behind. "Why are we going to the old tunnel Takato?" the shorter accomplice questioned.

"Remember that very important thing?" Takato replied, "we need to keep it in a safer place. It isn't safe where we hid it before Guilmon."

"But I hid it in a very, very secret place." Guilmon threw his claws into the air, expressing the secrecy of the "hiding place," "no one can find it." Guilmon continued to follow his Tamer as a trail was blazed through the thick shrubs.

"No matter," Takato said as he pushed another bush out of the way. 'That "secret" concerned Jen and the others. Ruki and I made a promise, and I'm going to keep that promise. And it may be in danger now with all of these events.' The 31-year old baker raised his flashlight and in the short distance, he found a run-down, cracking concrete tool shed, "there it is." He walked up the steps to the front gate. He pointed his flashlight through the rusted bars and untrimmed wild vines. Immediately, a look of shock replaced the serious look on his face. "No…"

"Takato," Guilmon began, in a lower, much more aggressive voice, "bad people." Takato looked at his digimon and saw the once playful and happy face of Guilmon replaced with the familiar aggressive face. Takato turned around and saw three figures traveling on the streets at the bottom of the steps. Matsuda fumbled with his flashlight until he was able to turn it off and pulled Guilmon to the bushes, calming him down a bit. 'If we're caught in this area in the park, we'll both be in major trouble. And why is Guilmon acting up?' Takato peered through the bushes down the street. He saw a large figure, a feminine figure, and finally a medium-sized male figure. At first, Takato thought they were just walking in the park, until Guilmon whispered something.

"Takato, they're like Kitsune." Guilmon said quietly, still with the hint of aggressiveness. Takato looked at Guilmon in surprise and then down at the three again, 'I thought Kitsune, Keishinko, and Atsuiko were the only ones…!' Takato thought. They watched as the three stood in one spot for a few minutes, and then began moving again. 'Great, they didn't notice us.' Takato sighed softly as he held down Guilmon's head. The two lay low until the three continued to walk out of the park. Takato got up, "who were those three? Were they hybrids?" He looked over to the tool shed again, looking into the dark room with the flashlight again.

Inside the shed, the ground was dug up, broken concrete lay all over the floor, and seemingly, the walls were damaged. "Someone found it," Takato closed his eyes, "damn!"

Jenrya rubbed his chin as he paced back and forth around the living room as the story continued about their son. Terriermon was off in the master bedroom already sleeping, so it was the unofficially married couple left in the room. Renamon leaned against the wall of the living room, repeating the events of the day.

Lee closed his eyes for a moment, "I really hope those hybrids aren't dangerous. But of course, knowing my luck as of late I'm probably wrong." He turned to pace the other way, "and we have that other hybrid in Serenity Forest. Hopefully no one else knows about him."

"What if he gets involved with Kitsune?" Renamon asked, "then what?"

"I trust Kit enough to do the right thing," the elder Lee said, "besides, he isn't the one I'm worried about. Anyway, what were saying about the other hybrids?"

"Two of the hybrids were higher levels than Kitsune and the others." Renamon continued, "That girl seemed to have a code of a Adult Level digimon as well as that one off to the side. But there was one hybrid that caught my attention." Jenrya looked over to his love to hear the rest of what she was going to say, "one of them had the same digital code as Terriermon."

A/N: Yay, I updated twice in less than a week. I told you I would try to update more often :P. I think I also figured out the problem with the italicized chapters on Media Miner, and if this chapter works out, I may repost the rest of them that were italicized, probably even better than they were before, but before then, we shall see how this turns out. Anyway, hope you liked it, and please R&R as usual.

-DeXstrosity the LdOFDestruction (aka Evolved Spirit KitsuDeXstrosity)


	16. Chapter 16: Influences

A/N: Um, wow, its been over a year since I've updated. I guess that's what college does to you :P. Anyway, I'd just like everyone who reads this to know I thank all of you for the support up to this point and yes, I still write for this story. It takes a little longer to update, but I do still write for Hybrid Generations as well as a few side projects. Anyway, enjoy this long deserved update .

Chapter 16: Influences

Karen walked into her kitchen early in the morning, still drowsy and not completely awake. "Why in the world do I have to be at work so early today," Karen mumbled to herself as she poked around the kitchen to find breakfast. She opened her refrigerator and looked around on the several shelves of food. Suddenly, the brown-haired lady turned from the cold air of the fridge, turning attention to outside the window. She quickly walked to the back door and outside, where her loyal digimon perched in front of her, "Devidramon," she blinked, "what's wrong?"

"It's him," Devidramon said in his raspy alert voice, "he's back." Karen looked over to the horizon and indeed saw the familiar hybrid that confronted her before. Devidramon was about to fly to the hybrid, but Karen stopped him. "Wait Devidramon, look." Karen pointed to the hybrid, "He has company."

The sun rose over the familiar hybrid, creating a long shadow that extended right to the digimon and hybrid duo. He stood motionless and soon two others joined his side. One was a large figure and the other was much more of a feminine body with a hat and a staff about as tall as the one holding it. Karen and Devidramon were ready for anything, but the three turned away and left, leaving Karen bewildered by the sudden action. "Why did they…?"

"Should we follow them?" Devidramon asked with his raspy voice. Karen looked at her watch "I should be going to work," she looked west, where the three hybrids headed. "But I have a feeling something very bad will happen. Come on, I think working at a Copy place can be sacrificed." The Tamer mounted the back of her Digimon and they pursued the trio.

Reiko looked at the screen and noticed a spot on the screen. He sat up in his chair and watched the screen carefully, "that's close to Magsay-san's house." He zoomed in on the disturbance, "it looks like its her and Devidramon, but where are they going? Magsay-san rarely goes into the air." He watched the screen closer, "I don't see anything else on the screen. I better wait for the others for a deeper analysis of the area." He sat back again and continued the observations.

"Its almost time." Seira said as she looked at the sky, "sunrise, he won't be expecting it." The three continued running down the street just fast enough to not be noticed by the waking residence of the area. "Why did we stop in front of the Tamer's house?" Seira turned to Genesis.

"Personal reasons." Genesis simply stated. "Do not worry about it."

"Wonder who this guy we're supposed to get is?" Terry questioned. "He must be one powerful guy 'cause Higura-sama gave us permission to use any force."

"…Without killing him." Seira added, "But remember, we'll be in the forest, which may be a disadvantage to all three of us. Stay together."

"Oh man, I wish it was that Kitsune kid we were fighting," Terry said, "I'm ready for him after we're done with this mission."

"Patience, we'll get our chance," Seira reminded her colleague, "I wouldn't mind getting my hands on that obnoxious cat-girl either."

The three finally stopped in front of a gate. The masked girl looked at the sign on the gate, reading: Serenity Forest: DO NOT TRESPASS! THE LAND IS PROTECTED UNDER THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT. Terry raised his hand into the air and suddenly a metallic gun formed around his arm. "I'm ready to go." The large, green-haired hybrid smirked as he looked up into the fenced forest. Seira turned to Genesis; "Ready?" the sole female asked the quiet colleague. He looked over to her and nodded. His hand reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. He lit the rolled tobacco and took a puff. The hybrid then lifted his left hand, pulling down his long-sleeve. Extending out was a thin, tentacle-like metallic arm with a clamp end. The pincer-like hand grabbed the gate and tore it off its hinges. "Let's go." Genesis breathed out smoke as he walked toward the forest. Terry scratched his head and laughed nervously.

"I thought of using a bit more subtle method but whatever," Seira shrugged, "we better hurry though, we're bound to be noticed with this broken gate. Serenity Forest is a few more kilometers away."

---

Atsuiko arrived on the school grounds much earlier than she usually does on that cool morning. She walked over to a bench on the courtyard, put her bag on the bench and sat quietly right beside it, watching the sunrise over the horizon. The wind blew softly against her black hair as thoughts of yesterday passed through her mind the same way. 'They were enemies,' Atsuiko began to think, 'but something about him. That one hybrid in the shadows—he kept looking at me.' She sighed, 'He looked to be a virus-type digimon hybrid like I am.'

"What am I thinking," Atsuiko silently laughed at her own thoughts, "he's an enemy. And I have friends like Kitsu-kun and Keishin-chan already. It's silly…" Her own thoughts faded off as she noticed her own shadow forming with the continuing sunrise.

Kitsune walked onto the school grounds with ten minutes to spare before first classes began, "no being late for me today." He exclaimed proudly.

"Hey Kitsune!" a familiar voice called from behind. The disguised hybrid turned around to see a fellow hybrid, not disguised as usual, "what'd your mom do to you yesterday?" Keishinko taunted.

"Not much as usual," Kitsune sighed, "she gave me the same lecture as when you guys were there. Mom said that she would tell my Dad about what happened, but I didn't hear from him yet. How 'bout your parents?"

"They were the same, but they were actually more surprised that there were other hybrids other than us." Keishinko said, "But I think they're hiding something…" Before the conversation continued, the two noticed Atsuiko sitting on a bench by herself staring at the shadow of the building. They both walked up to her.

"Atsuiko," Kitsune placed a hand on her shoulder, "are you okay?"

The hand startled her for a moment, causing her to jump. 'I thought it was him,' she thought to herself. Atsuiko smiled, "Good morning Kitsu-kun, Keishin-chan." She got up, "oh, yes, everything's fine."

"You sure you're alright?" Keishinko asked again, "Looks like you were spacing out there."

"I was just…" Atsuiko hesitated a moment, "thinking. I arrived to school early."

"Was it about yesterday?" Kitsune questioned, "I'm sorry for bringing you two with me. After having that talk with my parents yesterday, I realized that I did put you two in danger."

"That's alright," Keishinko smiled, "besides I did want to fight, but never really got the chance. I seriously wanted a piece of that stupid-looking girl with a mask and her stick…"

"And Atsuiko, I'm sorry I know you really didn't want to go…" the teenage Lee looked over to her, who seemed to daydream again, "Atsuiko?"

This time, she was more stuck in her own thoughts than before. The thoughts of if she actually met the hybrid, thoughts of his powers, thoughts of her fighting that hoard of digimon all over again, and with those thoughts the replay of Ruki's words of advice. 'You're powers are different, they are not meant to be feared.' "…Powers." She mumbled to herself.

"What was that?" Kitsune asked. Finally, the Dobermon hybrid snapped back into reality. She immediately turned to Kitsune.

"Kitsu-kun," Atsuiko began, but paused for a moment, "those hybrids, are they our enemies?"

"I'm assuming so," Kitsune folded his arms, "they were the ones who wanted a fight, especially when they called us "organic.""

"But what if they're just different?" Atsuko said in a louder voice. She realized what she had said and the manner she did it in and covered her mouth.

"What do you mean?" Keishinko began, but before the conversation continued, the bell rang. Atsuko immediately picked up her belongings and hurried to class without saying a word more. "Atsuiko is acting stranger than usual…"

"I know," Kitsune said, watching Atsuiko hurry to class, "but I wonder why?"

---

Reiko took off his helmet as he rang the doorbell to the small home. Within moments, a woman with long red hair opened the door. She smiled at the sight of the boy, "Welcome home Reiko."

"Hi mom," he hugged his mother and walked into the home. "Where's Dad? I need to talk to him."

She moved to close the door and directed her son inside, "he's in his study doing what he's always doing." Yamaki made his way to his father's study. He walked through the hard oak door where his fater was sitting. The room was lit up with the natural sunlight that shone through the shutters, yet it still retained its dark atmosphere. His father was sitting in an executive leather chair. He was not wearing his trademark sunglasses he used to wear when he worked for Hypnos. He had given them up when he retired from his job and had Reiko. He was working from his laptop when he noticed his son walk in. With a warm smile, he got up and hugged his son. "How's everything Reiko?"

"Dad, I need to ask you some questions." Reiko got down to business, "Lee-san and I have having a few issues with a certain issue." The elder Yamaki nodded as he went back to his leather chair and sat down to hear his son's entire story. Reiko explained the entire situation and asked the same question he has been trying to figure out the entire time, "So what do you think dad?"

In classic style, the elder Yamaki sat with his hands folded and his elbows on the table, "It sounds like someone is opening gates between the two worlds. The situation sounds similar to what Lee-kun and myself dealt with several years ago. It may be someone in the Digital World, but it may be someone in this world."

"Do you think its some sort of program like what you worked on?" Reiko asked.

"I don't think anyone would be foolish enough to use the work of Hypnos again. It may be something more advanced, or something the Digimon in the Digital world is doing." Yamaki continued his theories, "if it is the Digital World in which the ruptures between the worlds is happening, someone must go into the Digital World to stop whoever is causing the passing between worlds. If more digimon come into this world, it may be a danger to everyone."

"So you're saying if the problem is originating from the Digital World, someone has to go in to stop it?" Reiko leaned forward, as the conversation began to get more complicated.

"Yes," the elder Yamaki closed his eyes, "however, I do not think it has been done since Lee-kun and the others have done it. And when we did do it, it was a lot of trouble just to get them back into our world. However, if this threat is as bad as it sounds at this point, and if you cannot pinpoint the someone in this world who may have been opening wormholes into the Digital World, it must be done."

Reiko leaned back into his chair, "If we cannot find the culprit in this world, we have to go to the Digital World, without a guarantee that we will be able to get back." His father nodded.

"Talk it over with the rest of your team and Lee-san. I know that Lee-san will know what to do." Reiko nodded to his father's advice. He got up and thanked his father. "Hey, your mother has already started making dinner, you better stay and eat." Reiko smiled at his father's usual semi-threatening invitation to stay and eat.

---

Kaju and Blake walked into the large communications room, where they found their colleague Reiko Yamaki watching the large screen.

"What's happening Reiko-kun?" Kaju asked as she walked up behind the teenage Yamaki.

"Magsay-san and Devidramon are flying somewhere," Reiko informed, "normally they never fly in broad daylight."

"That's the northern suburbs of Shinjuku," Blake informed, "I wouldn't worry about it too much, not many people live up there."

"Still, its odd…" Reiko said, but before he could say anything else, Karen and Devidramon dropped off the map, "what the…?"

"Too much electrical disturbance" Blake said, "its like a constant digital electric storm in that area." Reiko and Kaju turned to their colleague, "It's strange, the people in that area refused to have any skyscrapers or other large projects built there. Its my guess that they wanted to preserve the forest in that area, which is, from what I heard, old with a lot of history behind it."

"You're talking about Serenity Forest?" Reiko questioned. Blake nodded. "Well, I'm a bit concerned about Magsay-san, although she has Devidramon."

"We'll keep an eye out for her," Kaju informed. Blake and Reiko nodded as they all went to their work areas to begin the day.

---

Alec jumped up from sleeping, "Someone's here." He immediately got up from where he was sleeping, "three of them, but why?" He ran through the thick flora of Serenity Forest to try and find the intruders. The Seadramon hybrid climbed trees to find them. Before long, he spotted what seemed to be a man hanging from another high tree. He squinted to get a better view, and when he did, horror struck his face. The one he was looking at was staring right back at him with a red eye. "Another hybrid?"

Alec jumped down and began to run the opposite direction. On the other side of the forest, Genesis jumped down as well, "Northwest," Genesis informed his "siblings," "he should be heading the opposite way now."

"This forest is huge," Terry's eyes wandered around looking at the forest, "at this rate, we may never find him."

"Don't worry," Seira assured her brother, "I'll speed this up." The Wizardmon hybrid stabbed her long scepter into the ground and spread her arms out wide. She clapped down onto the scepter, "Terror Illusion!" With a loud clap, several copies of the Wizard hybrid were created. "This should cover more ground, now lets go!" The three original hybrids, with the copies of Seira, ran into the forest in pursuit of the Seadramon hybrid.

Meanwhile, Alec continued to run. 'I can sense it,' he thought as he continued running, 'there were originally three, but now there's more than ten.' He looked back for a moment. 'I would fight, but there are too many of them now and they're much too powerful.' "I only have one hope…" He jumped into the trees and looked south, "I must find Kitsune and the others."

Karen continued to pursue the three hybrids into the forest, watching as close as she could without getting too close. "Where did they disappear off to?" Karen asked as she continued to scout the area.

"Karen, look," Devidramon spoke, "another hybrid." The brown-haired woman looked and indeed there was a helmeted hybrid boy sitting at the top of a tree looking south. "What should we do?" The black dragon digimon asked his tamer.

"If my hunch is right, he may be in trouble," Karen began, "let's go Devidramon, we'll see who he is." The demon-dragon nodded and redirected the flight path to the teenager perched high above. As they flew closer, the blue-skinned boy never turned his attention to the duo. "Hey!" Magsay called over to him when she was close enough, "what are you doing up here?"

The boy turned, caught by surprise by the tamer and flying digimon. He stared back, but was still silent.

'His head is covered with a helmet,' Karen thought to herself as she and Devidramon hovered in place, 'and his skin is blue. He must be a hybrid, and probably the target of those three others.' "Come on, it isn't safe here! We got to get you out of the forest!"

"I don't need your help!" the boy yelled over the flapping of the dragon's wings.

"We aren't here to harm you," Karen extended her hand, "I know that you're a hybrid."

"I can handle this…!" He turned away and jumped down from the tree before the adult Tamer could say anything more. 'I can't stop him,' Karen thought to herself, 'but I can try helping him, if he wants me to or not.' "Devidramon," the dragon was attentive to his Tamer's next request, "come on, its time to fight."

Alec landed on the ground on his feet. He looked around, 'no time to waste, I must get out of here.' He thought, as he turned ready to sprint. But before he could get going, a being stood in front of him. "Damn." He muttered.

"Now where do you think you're going?" the being asked. "Higura-sama wants to speak with you."

"I don't associate with humans," Alec said calmly, "especially ones who sends their lackeys to do their dirty work and kidnap me."

"Now who said that you had a choice?" another being spoken from behind. The Seadramon hybrid turned around, and to his horror, was the same exact being staring right at him. "You either go quietly or we use force."

"Force." Alec said, acting on impulse and charging one of the shadowed beings.


	17. Chapter 17: Capabilities

Chapter 17: Capabilities

Alec jumped into the air, "Take this!" He pulled out a blue bow strapped onto his back and quickly loaded it with a blue arrow, "Ice Arrow!" He drew the string back and quickly released to the opposite being and quickly flipped. With his body upside-down, he took a deep breath, "Water Breath!" He shot a high-pressured geyser of water at the being he was charging. The two attacks hit the mysterious enigmas as Alec landed.

"Impressive." Another voice, similar to the first two, spoke. Alec turned to his right to see another being similar to the first two, almost a perfect duplicate. "Lets see how you handle my brothers."

'Who the hell are these people?' Alec breathed hard as he looked around, alert to anything that may happen. "Alright, I'm ready for whoever you are!" Gunshots went off in near proximity, causing several pellets of energy to go flying towards Alec. Quick maneuvering caused the attack to barely avoid the blue-skinned teen. A metallic arm went flying through the trees like a heat-seeking missile, but was avoided by the quick twist of Alec's body. He grabbed the metallic, clawed arm and yanked it as hard as he could, but it seemed to only extend farther. 'Damn it!' he thought as he landed, only to be met by more gunfire.

Alec quickly turned to the opposite direction from which the arm came from and ran, but was quickly cut off by a group of what seemed to be a girl with a wide-brimmed hat. "You still have the chance to surrender." She offered, "You don't have to put up with my brothers."

"I don't want to become a slave or a test subject for a human," Alec said with confidence, although fatigue could be heard in his voice. He pulled out his blue bow and ice arrows, ready for more, "I'll keep fighting until you leave my home." He raised the arrow and pointed it at the girl, but before he could release the arrow, something slammed into the back of his head. Alec staggered and fell backwards. His vision blurred, but for the first time, he saw the faces of his enemies. One was muscular and had long ears and long green hair, another looked almost like a normal teen with the exception of what Alec made out to be a red eye, and finally the third one walked up to him slowly and looked down at him. Her eyes were the only distinction of her face, for a mask covered the lower half. "It didn't have to be this way…" she said as Alec's sight faded out, losing consciousness.

---

Takato sighed as he put up the "Closed" sign on the Bakery door. The events of that morning bothered the adult Matsuda so much that he really could not run the store that day. 'I can't believe it's gone.' He sighed and took a seat on the store counter.

"Takato," Guilmon walked into the kitchen, "I'm sorry the gift is gone. I don't think I did a good job protecting it."

Takato smiled, "don't worry about it Guilmon. We'll find it." He patted the red dinosaur's head. The Tamer yawned and stretched, "seeing how I didn't get any sleep, I think I'll crash for a few hours." He stood up again, but before he retired to the bedroom above the bakery, Ruki came down the stairs.

"Where did you two go?" Ruki asked, ready to go to her own career, "I heard the door open early this morning."

"We went to check something." Takato kept the actions broad, avoiding details, "don't worry about it."

"Let me guess," Ruki grabbed bread off of the cart, "you went to check on the 'gift?'" Takato nodding slowly, with sweat rolling down his forehead.

"But it's gone." Guilmon chirped in, "we tried to find it, but we saw bad guys…" Now the redheaded Tamer's interest was piqued.

"Hold on for a moment," Ruki stopped in her tracks, "its gone? How could you lose it? You know how important that is!" She turned to Takato and began scolding her husband. Takato began to plead his case, "It wasn't my fault!" Takato laughed nervously, intimidated by his wife, "it was gone before we got there." Ruki began with more scolding, and Takato simply let the scolding take place. Guilmon watched as the events happened, but noticed something outside. He quickly turned his head, "Takato, Ruki-san, enemies…" he began to growl.

"Where?" Ruki turned her head. Takato soon followed. The brown-haired Tamer saw the "enemies" and to his surprise, it was the same three from the park, "its them!"

"The ones like Kitsune." Guilmon stated, ready to attack although the glass was in front of them, "but they have another one with them, he's not moving."

"More hybrids," the former Makino said, "quick, get under the counter! We can't be seen or they'll attack!"

"Wha…?" Takato stuttered, surprised by his wife quick decision. To Takato and Guilmon's surprise, they quickly followed the female under the counter and watched the three hybrids walk by. "I thought you would be the one to send poor Guilmon into battle." Matsuda quipped.

"Now's not the time," Ruki glared at Takato. They continued to watch what the hybrids would do. A blue-skinned boy was draped over the shoulder of the largest hybrid. Ruki and Takato watched closely, "I never seen that hybrid before," Takato began, "you don't think…"

"We have to call Jen." Ruki said as she took out her cell phone and began to dial Lee's cell phone number.

---

Karen and Devidramon finally found a place to land in the forest, but they realized it was too late, "He's gone," Devidramon said as Karen walked the path of the forest. "We're too late," the brown-haired female Tamer sighed, "he was taken."

The duo continued deeper into the forest until they came upon the battle area. Broken twigs and half destroyed trees littered the normally peaceful forest's floor. Karen picked up a half burnt tree limb, "if those three had the power to cause this much destruction in one single area, there's no telling what else they can do, especially with that blue hybrid." Karen turned, but was suddenly cut off by a fireball. To her surprise and horror, she what seemed to be a flaming man, "a Meramon? Why here?" She muttered under her breath.

Before Karen could do anything else, Devidramon immediately attacked as an impulse. "Crimson Nail!" He cried as red nails went flying towards the Meramon. It was a direct hit, deleting the digimon. "Karen, are you okay?" Devidramon asked his Tamer. She nodded, "lets go Devidramon before anything else happens." Magsay said as she got onto his back and they flew into the sky back home. 'Was there a Digital field just now? I didn't see one form, but that Meramon…' She thought as she looked back at the forest one more time.

---

"Mouh mihn thai!" A voice panicked right outside the door, "whoa, Jen slow down! The door's right there!"

Jenrya Lee burst into the computer-filled office. Reiko, Blake, and Kaju stared at the boss perplexed by the sudden intrusion, never seeing the elder Lee act in such a way. He panted and desperately tried to regain his breath, "More hybrids…" he finally gasped out, "why…didn't anyone tell…me?" He still breathed hard.

"What? When?" Reiko got up from his chair, as did the other two, "we were here the whole time and didn't pick up a single thing." He looked over to the second generation Babel, "Blake, check the reports from the past three hours," he then turned to the second generation Curly, "Kaju, do the same." The young Yamaki turned back to his boss, "I swear, we never picked up any signals or alerts that. Or at least none that I am aware of."

"Those other kids must be really sneaky." Terriermon chirped in.

Jenrya finally caught his breath and sat down. He pushed his long hair behind his ears and took off his glasses and polished them, "It's alright Reiko-kun. Terriermon has a point," Lee sighed, "how could something like this get past the scanners? We can pick up digimon, but why not hybrids?"

"Maybe it's the same reason as when you and the others tried to fight a last time," Reiko sat down again, "different data."

"I assume that's probably the reason," Lee looked around the building, "we seriously need to find these hybrids. It can only mean trouble." Reiko nodded and got back to work. Jenrya turned his chair to see his own computer screen, "better tell Ryo to keep a lookout for hybrids." He closed his eyes, 'I don't think it was that one from Serenity Forest—he never leaves. These hybrids, however, can be trouble for Keishinko, Atsuiko, and Kitsune. And seeing what happened yesterday, I don't think this is a coincidence.' He sat in his chair for a few more moments and realized something, 'Wait, that hybrid Renamon told me about the other night,' the elder Lee thought for a few more moments and then stood up.

"Reiko," Jenrya began, "put out a data stream search for Terriermon's data."

"Uh Jen," Terriermon waved his little paw in front of his Tamer's face, "I'm right here." Jenrya ignored his partner for a moment, waiting for the large screen to show what he has been hoping for. After a few more moments, two green points brightly flashed on the screen: one was in their exact position and the other was moving through the city.

"But looks like your hybrid imposter isn't." Jenrya smirked.

"What?" Terriermon exclaimed, "How dare they clone me, especially when I don't even know! Wait, HOW did they use my data? And he better be good-looking…"

"Terriermon!" Jenrya said to his partner quickly quieting the small digimon. "We're about to find out now," Jenrya assured his digimon, "we must find those hybrids."

"Lee-san," Reiko got up from his seat as the search began, "I talked to my father today." Lee's attention was focused, but his main concern was still the rogue hybrids, "he said that the problems we have had over the past couple of days may be caused by some programmers opening portals between our world and the Digital World. Or worse, Digimon opening portals between the Digital World and Earth." Jen placed his hand on his chin in thought.

"Sounds like what us Tamers dealt with several years ago," Jen responded, "but when we left the Digital World, we were on good terms with the Digimon Sovereigns. We helped them save their world and they helped us save ours. I don't think they would rip open a portal into our world unless a serious situation was taking place such as the D-Reaper."

"Do you think it's the return of the D-Reaper?" Reiko asked.

Jenrya shook his head, "That program was downgraded to almost nothing. I doubt it would be strong enough to be a threat to both worlds again. I seriously doubt that it is the work of the Digimon at this point. There's no reason for them to do such a thing, if they did, I know that the Sovereigns would have given some sort of message."

"That would mean its someone in this world that's the cause of the holes between the worlds?" Reiko hypothesized.

"I believe so," Jenrya agreed, "however, who would have the ability to rip holes between worlds? Your father and Hypnos tried, and albeit they were somewhat successful, it was ultimately a failure. It takes someone who is essentially a genius to harness the power of the data streams to just get into the world." Jenrya sat in his chair silent for a moment, "We will make this our concern when the time comes. However, our number one concern at this point is these hybrids. We must find them."

---

Kitsune was slowly falling asleep during the middle of class as the lecture took place. Every few seconds, his eyes would close but would be interrupted by Keishinko and her constant bombardment of small pieces of crumpled scrap paper. 'Damn it Keishinko,' Kitsune thought to himself as he looked over to his long-time friend. He saw the cat-girl hybrid laugh silently at her pranks and he would just glare.

To keep himself from falling asleep, he kept adjusting his glasses and thought about subjects other than school. 'Those hybrids,' the teenage Lee's thoughts drifted as he pivoted his head toward the window, 'they can be major trouble. If that crazy Higura lady is serious, then I don't think it'll be the last we see of them.' He sighed quietly as he listened nonchalantly to his Math teacher talking about a slope-intercept whatever and three-variable stuff. 'And that other hybrid from the Forest, Alec, and his plan to rebel against the human race.' The teenage hybrid visualized the first meeting again and then shook his head, 'I can't believe his…' He looked out the window again and saw what he thought were the same three hybrids from yesterday and one of them was carrying what looked to be a body. He leaned over a bit more and…

"Mr. Lee," the teacher in the front singled him out, "thank you for volunteering to solve this very complex problem." He pointed to three separate equations each containing X, Y, and Z in each one. Kitsune sweat dropped as he walked up to the board and took the chalk, "and don't forget to show all your work." The teacher added. The class, especially Keishinko, snickered at Kitsune's misfortune.

---

The bell signifying the end of the school day rang, and Kitsune quickly got out of the classroom and waited for Keishinko and Atsuiko outside. 'I swear that those three were them,' Kitsune thought as he rushed down the school hallways and down the flights of stairs, 'and they had some kind of body or something. This is bad.' He finally found his way out of the school and into the sunshine. The Leomon hybrid and Dobermon hybrid were not far behind.

"What's up with the rush?" Keishinko asked.

"Those three hybrids, I saw them during class," Kitsune said as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "and it looked like they had a body or something." The three hybrids looked around at each other, trying to absorb the newly acquired data. Atsuiko heard Kitsune's observations and images of the hybrid she saw yesterday flashed through her mind again, 'W…why am I thinking about him?' Keishinko was quick to interrupt her thoughts.

"Are you implying we go after them?" Keishinko asked.

"Well, no…" Kitsune scratched his head, remembering what happened yesterday. He didn't want to endanger his friends like his mom helped him realize yesterday. Like she said, they were mysterious and they had no idea what kind of power they posses. Kitsune pondered the risks he would put himself as well as his best friends in, although he really wanted to pursue.

"Why not? I want a piece of that witch-hybrid chick," Keishinko exclaimed, "what are we waiting for, lets get those bastards!" Keishinko began to walk to the school's entrance to begin the hunt. Kitsune was about to follow, but noticed Atsuiko standing there idly in deep thought, "Atsuiko?"

The Dobermon hybrid shook off her daydreaming and looked at Kitsune. She smiled, "I'm sorry Kitsu-kun," she said in her trademark soft voice, "I guess I was thinking too hard again."

"If you don't want to go after them, I understand," Kitsune offered, "I know you really don't like fighting and all. I don't really like fighting myself." He thought about what he was saying, "not that we're going to fight but…"

"Its okay Kitsu-kun, I'll go," Atsuiko said as she began to walk slowly with her bag in front of her. Kitsune scratched his head,. She never did act this strange, but once they met those three other hybrids, she's been phasing out a lot more often. He shook off the feeling, thinking it was classic shy Atsuiko fashion. He smiled and nodded and they both went to catch up with their fiery comrade.

---

Ariyama, Johnson, and Kisho were gathered in the conference room once again for an announcement from Higura. They sat patiently as they waited for their boss. "The three have been going on several missions lately." Kisho questioned, "I wonder what Higura-sama is planning on doing."

"I assume Ms. Higura has plans regarding those other hybrids, the organics," Johnson entertained the questions, "I believe that Terry, Genesis, and Seira are ready for battle myself, but I suppose we shall find out when Ms. Higura arrives."

"I'm a bit concerned if they do go into battle though," Ariyama spoke, "we know the limits of Terry, Seira, and Genesis, but we really don't know what the organics are truly capable of."

"That's what the scouting missions were for." Johnson turned to Ariyama.

"And how many times during those scouts were the organics actually battling?" Ariyama retaliated. Johnson thought for a moment, "we only observed one battle with the organics and those were against Digimon, not other hybrids. Who knows what their capabilities are." Before the conversation could get any further, Higura entered the room. The female executive walked to the head of the table and took a seat, looking at all three of the scientists.

"Terry, Seira, and Genesis as you know have gone on a mission today." Higura announced, "From the information I have gotten back from the three adoring children, I believe that it was successful." A smile grew upon her face, "ladies and gentlemen, we have a new subject."


End file.
